A
road or triathlon bike is needed for anything longer than a sprint. I
recommend a road bike for beginners so that you can also ride in
cycling events and with the cycling team. A rideable bike will cost a
few hundred dollars. To get something that is safe to ride on a group
cycling ride the prices for used bikes start at $500-800 and climb
rapidly. Be sure to contact me (see below) before buying a bike because
many shops will size poorly. We are currently working on sponsorship
deals, including complete triathlon packages that include bike,
wetsuit, etc…
I don’t think I can run a mile without stopping. Can I still join?
Yes. Half the time I can’t run a mile either. The Thursday Track
workout is at a track, so when you get too tired you can just walk
around the track and still hang out with the group. The club is
designed with both beginners and more advanced athletes in mind.
I can barely swim. Is the swim distance really a whole mile?
Well, for sprint triathlons the distance is as short at 400yds, which
is about 16 lengths at the ARC pool. The truth is that the swim is a
very small part of the race and triathletes aren’t exactly famous for
their swimming abilities. Steve will be running swim workouts at the
ARC on Monday and Wednesday morning. Also keep an eye out for swim
clinics both in the pool and in the ocean to make sure that nobody
drowns on race day.
What’s
all this beginner stuff? I’ve done 10 Ironmans. I can swim repeat 100s
free on the minute and run 6 minute miles all day. What’s in it for me?
Let’s face it. Training alone sucks. So does
traveling to races alone. The workouts will be broken into beginner and
advanced so that everyone can get a good workout together. Even if you
are lapping everyone on the track, you will still get a spectacular
workout and you won’t be alone. Plus, triathlon tends to attract people
who are stellar in one disciple and terrible in another so training
buddies will always be available. If you are unsure of the training
philosophy, feel free to check out xteamtri.com and take a gander at
the race results of some of Coach Sergio’s athletes. In the spring we
will peak for Collegiate Nationals which is a qualifier for the US
Elite Collegiate World Championships. In the past, top ranking athletes
from nationals have been invited to the Olympic Training Centers for
several weeks at a time.
What distance of triathlons does the team engage in?
All distances, from sprint (aprox 1/4mi swim, 10mi bike, 3mi run) to craziness (2.4mi swim, 112mi bike, 26.2mi run).
Is there intercollegiate triathlon?
Yes.
There is a West Coast Collegiate Triathlon Conference (WCCTC) that has
been developed in the last couple of years. See the website for more
details: http://wcctc.pengra.com/. There is also a Collegiate Triathlon
Nationals put on every year by USAT, the governing body of Triathlon
(usatriathlon.org).
What are dues?
Dues
are $40/ quarter or $120 for the year. The dues pay for our coaching
plan and go towards team equipment such as trainers for bike workouts.
Additionally the dues will help subsidize social activities such as
BBQs. A newcomer is permitted to attend one week of workouts to test
out the team before paying dues.
Coaching? Who is the coach?
The
Coach is Sergio Borges. A 20+ time Ironman finisher and elite
triathlete himself, he coaches the UCSD team, his own elite team
X-Team, and a number of private clients. He has the highest level of
coaching certification awarded by USA Triathlon, has coached two
national collegiate champions, and coaches intermittently at the
Olympic Training Centers. In short, he is highly overqualified and we
are lucky to have his assistance. A portion of our dues will go to
paying for a training plan for the team. Group workouts will be
determined by his training plan and dues-paying members will have a
copy of the plan to guide their training for upcoming events. (See
http://sdxtraining.com or http://xteamtri.com for more information.) |
