Photos courtesy of Brightroom.com.

The United States’ Cameron Dye and New Zealand’s Nicky Samuels won the 30th edition of the Columbia Triathlon. Read the race recap.

Pro Linsey Corbin reveals how she finally nabbed the top spot at Ironman Arizona last fall.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2013 issue of Inside Triathlon magazine.

Ironman Arizona has long been one of Linsey Corbin’s sentimental favorite races. It was the first Ironman she ever witnessed (in 2006). But with three consecutive second-place finishes (2009, 2010 and 2011), the title seemed to elude Corbin—until November 2012, when her never-give-up attitude propelled her from a disappointing swim to the podium’s top spot. Here, Corbin shares the tricks that helped score her long-sought win.

RELATED: Linsey Corbin’s Bike Strength Workout

Take it one step at a time. Corbin says not to worry about the marathon when you’re only a half-mile into the swim. “People always say to focus on the moment and not think about what’s ahead. That’s easy to hear, but to implement it is something different,” Corbin says. “It’s something I really focused on in 2012. In Arizona I was having a horrible swim. Rather than think: Nine minutes! I’ll never make that up! I tried to think about something that was going great. I focused on the blue sky. I told myself: Let’s go for a lovely long ride and then see what happens. I did a really good job of staying in the now. At the start of the run I just thought: All right, let’s see how much time I can cut in. I never thought of winning.”

PHOTOS: 2012 Ironman Arizona

Trust your plan. Corbin’s Ironman Arizona bike strategy has always been to progressively build through each of three laps. In years past she’s struggled to pace herself, but in 2012 she battled a cold during race week that oddly helped her execute an ideal ride. “I’m always in a rush because all the energy’s at the front of the race and you need to get up there as fast as you can. This time my body was pretty lethargic, so I actually did what I was supposed to do, almost by default. And it was like: Wow, this works!”

VIDEO: Linsey Corbin Returns To Kona’s Top-10

Get every last drop. “You always have these mantras and images you’re going to say and draw on during a race. But those things don’t necessarily come to mind. Instead the silliest things do, like little gifts. I kept thinking: You’re a ketchup packet. Squeeze out every last drop. Why would that come into my head?” says Corbin, laughing. “But you can imagine that cheap plastic packet and just trying to squeeze out every last drop.”

To download complete features from Inside Triathlon, visit Insidetriathlon.com.

Meet three athletes who will finally be racing Ironman Hawaii as part of the Legacy program.

Last month, Ironman announced the winners of its Ironman Legacy program—100 dedicated Ironman athletes who will have the chance to race the Ironman World Championship this October. Of the 100 athletes who earned a spot to Kona in the program, 55 are from outside of the United States, from 15 different countries (including 15 Australian athletes, 11 Canadian athletes and nine German athletes).

The Legacy program, only in its second year, grants loyal Ironman competitors an opportunity to race in Kona at least once in their lifetime. To be eligible for the 2013 selection, athletes had to have completed at least 12 full-distance Ironman-branded races, have never started the Ironman World Championship, have completed at least one Ironman event in 2011 and in 2012, and be registered for an Ironman in 2013.

Ironman also announced the 105 (100 general age-groupers and five physically challenged) winners of its Lottery program. Almost 20 countries were represented in this year’s lottery—it attracted 55 percent more athletes from the Asia-Pacific region this year compared to last, and 88 percent more athletes from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The Ironman Lottery program, which began in 1983 thanks to the vision of Ironman co-founders John and Judy Collins, provides athletes of all abilities the opportunity to race Ironman Hawaii.

We caught up with three of the Lottery and Legacy winners—Bryan Ogle, Anna Fyodorova and Larry Lanza—to hear more about their triathlon journeys and their goals for Kona.

Visit Ironman.com for more information on the Legacy and Lottery programs.

PHOTOS: 2012 Ironman World Championship

Bryan Ogle (Ironman Lottery winner)

Bryan Ogle, 46, lives in California and has applied to the Ironman Lottery program six times.

Triathlete.com: What was your reaction when you heard you got a Lottery spot?

Bryan Ogle: Actually, good story: I came in from a ride (I was riding with friend getting ready for Ironman CDA) on Sunday and my wife says, “Did you enter the Kona Lottery, because I am getting congrats about you getting into Kona!” I am a social media guy and friends were posting to her Facebook wall. I pulled out my phone and my earlier post during the day was now filled with comments like, “Have you looked at the Lottery results?” I was totally stoked and a bit freaked out. There are Ironmans, and then there is Kona.

How many Ironmans have you raced? 

Seven (Ironman Coeur d’Alene four times, Ironman Canada, Ironman St. George, Ironman Arizona).

How and when did you first get into the sport? 

In 2000, I helped bring the USAT Age Group Nationals to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In 2002, I was part of the team that secured a license with NA Sports to birth IMCDA. … That was August ’02 and we did not have a course for June ’03. We got it done and I was fully immersed in the goings-on for ’03-’05. Standing in the middle of the “hot corner” at IMCDA in ’05, I decided I was doing the race in ’06. I didn’t own a bike or know how to swim farther than chasing my surfboard. In 2003 a close friend of mine in CDA finished as top local and it was pretty cool, which added to my stoke!

How close have you come to qualifying for Kona?

Not very. I think my fastest Ironman is 11:40. I am in a really tough age group (M45-49), but all the age groups are getting tougher.

Do you have any goals for Kona?

Yes: to fully and completely enjoy the experience and manifest outward the absolute enjoyment I get from the sport and the folks in it; leverage my chance to do something good for a deserving organization, but have not decided which one; involve my family/friends deeply in the journey (they have always been there); break 12 hours.

Photos: Kona Age-Grouper Bikes and Pros At Bike Check-In

Anny Fyodorova (Ironman Legacy winner)

At age 32, New York resident Anna Fyodorova is the youngest athlete to ever get a Kona spot through the Ironman Legacy program. She’s been racing Ironman since 2005 and loves the Ironman lifestyle.

Triathlete.com: What was your reaction when you heard you got a Legacy spot?

Anny Fyodorova: I was beyond excited when I heard I was going to go to Kona! It has been a dream since 2005 and I was literally skipping around the office and calling loved ones. Excitement, butterflies, relief, fear all rolled into one giant emotion.

How many Ironmans have you raced?

To this day I have raced 16 Ironmans, and Lake Placid and Kona are on the schedule for this season.

How and when did you first get into the sport?

I got into the sport when I was 18 years old. I was initially a runner and swam in high school and decided to sign up for a local duathlon, borrowed my dad’s mountain bike, and that was the start of a love with multisport. I then began racing triathlon and began with sprints and Olympic distances and then half-Ironman, and then when I graduated physical therapy school in May 2005, my next goal was Ironman Lake Placid in July. And that was the start of many Ironman adventures all over the world and hopefully many more to come!

What do you think of the Ironman Legacy program?

I think that the Ironman Legacy program is an absolutely wonderful idea and not just because I am going to Kona and the program is fulfilling a dream of mine. The Legacy program is allowing dedicated Ironman triathletes who have been loyal, long-time members of the Ironman community a chance to fulfill their dream. I have been a fan of Ironman, the idea, the brand, and what it represents and its high standards and world-quality levels of competition for a long time, and this program is an awesome addition to all Ironman has given me personally.

How close have you come to qualifying for Kona?

I have come close several times during my racing career to qualifying for Kona but with no cigar, as they say. I was fifth in my age group at Ironman Lake Placid in 2005 and fourth in 2006, but with one slot, both times it was taken before me. I was also third and fourth at the St. Croix 70.3 [one of the few 70.3 races that awards Kona slots] in my age group, and also the spots were taken before me.

Do you have any goals for Kona?

My goals for Kona are to have an amazing time, enjoy the environment and race to its fullest and every second of it and survive the Kona legend and not vomit all over the race course. I would like to go under 13 hours and just enjoy the one place on earth I refused to go to until I made it to the race, and that’s finally going to happen!

RELATED: What You Need To Know About Ironman’s New Lottery Program

Larry Lanza (Ironman Legacy Winner)

Wisconsin resident Larry Lanza, 45, has been racing triathlons since 1994 and Ironmans since 1996. He’ll be racing Kona for the first time through the Legacy program.

Triathlete.com: What was your reaction when you heard you got a Legacy spot? 

Larry Lanza: My initial reaction was that I felt humbled and honored to be given the opportunity. I consider it a gift from God to have the ability to race triathlons, and I’m very thankful.

How many Ironmans have you raced?

I’ve raced in 17. My first Ironman race was Ironman Canada in 1996.

How and when did you first get into the sport? 

Initially, my background is competitive swimming and I had dabbled a little in some local 5K and 10K running races. My twin brother Craig and I were introduced to triathlon in the summer of 1993 by a fellow Masters swimmer, Dave Diamond. Dave swam with us and was training for Ironman Canada. In ’93 and ’94, he invited me on bike rides from the Schroeder YMCA after swim practices (where I would promptly get dropped and then gradually I started to improve). My first race was the Pardeeville Triathlon in Pardeeville, Wis. Within a year, I started to meet, train and race with a whole host of local Wisconsin triathletes, most notably John Schlagenhauf, Terry Labinski, Heather Gollnick and Lauren Jensen. Without a doubt, they influenced my early years in the sport. In reflection, as the years have passed, as accomplished as each of them were in the sport, I think I was more drawn to the friendships and the social camaraderie of the local triathlon scene back in those days. The sport was much more organic. Continuing, the first Ironman Hawaii qualifier I raced was the Mrs. T.’s Chicago triathlon in 1995, which doubled as national championships that year. Ironically, I remember at the post-race party, they actually drew two random names for Ironman Hawaii slots literally as door prizes!

What do you think of the Ironman Legacy program? 

For me, it’s an amazing opportunity. I give Andrew Messick and his staff at Ironman a lot of credit for being bold and making these changes for Kona in a way he feels is positive. This race is unlike other races and is a dream for me and so many other athletes to be a part of. Going back to the very beginning in 1978, it was as much of a challenge just to finish as it was a race. Thanks to original finisher and fellow Milwaukee native Dave Orlowski for sharing a little about what the race was in its infancy, for those who started it—the ultimate physical challenge. My journey to get here has been a lot of hard work, and it’s also been a lot of fun. In short, Legacy is truly unique, and I intend to make the most of it and give everything I have on race day.

How close have you come to qualifying for Kona?  

I missed by two spots. My Ironman PR is 10:01.

Do you have any goals for Kona?

Yes, a few.  First, I’ll have a lot of friends and family there, so I’d like to finish in the light and not the dark, so they don’t have to wait too long. And with that, no medical tent. Second, I want to represent my friends and sponsors well: Ashworth Awards, Urban Hotels, CycleOps and RACC (Racers Against Childhood Cancer presented by GearGrinder). Lastly, I’m hoping my twin brother Craig qualifies so we can both race together. That would be fantastic to mix it up with him out on the race course!

RELATED: Hawaii Ironman Tips From A Flying Dutchman

American Matt Reed, a 2008 Olympian, has announced that he will be competing alongside fellow former American Olympian Andy Potts and other pros in next month’s PHLY Cup at the 2013 TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon with title sponsor Johnson and Johnson.

Reed has competed in Philadelphia in the past and is happy to be returning in 2013.

“I’m excited to race Trirock Philly,” Reed tells Triathlete.com. “It’s a great city; one that really embraces endurance sports. The park is an awesome venue for a triathlon. With this being Fuji’s hometown I’m excited to race the new Norcom Straight on this course. If you know me, you know I would hate to miss such a fun race.”

Reed and the other professionals will be competing in the Olympic-distance race (1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run) for their share of a $25,000 prize purse as part of the recently announced PHLY Cup.

A sprint race will take place on Saturday, June 22, followed by the Olympic-distance race on Sunday, June 23. To register or learn more about the race, visit Trirock.competitor.com/Philadelphia. TriRock Philadelphia is owned by Triathlete.com’s parent company, Competitor Group.

RELATED: TriRock Philadelphia Offers Swim Clinics, New Buoy System

In this video, professional triathete Chris Lieto and his coach Matt Dixon utilize the TRX suspension trainer to show us the Sprinter Start, an excellent exercise for endurance athletes that engages the core and uses the glutes and quads to improve power and help prevent injuries.

RELATED:
- Ironman Workouts With Chris Lieto: The Recovery
-  Ironman Workouts With Chris Lieto: The Swim
- Ironman Workouts With Chris Lieto: The Bike

When Dr. Allen Lim left the lab to work with pro cyclists, he found athletes weary of processed bars and gels and the same old pasta. So Lim joined professional chef Biju Thomas to make eating delicious and practical. When the menu changed, no one could argue with the race results. Their groundbreaking Feed Zone Cookbook brought the favorite recipes of the pros to everyday athletes.

In their new cookbook Feed Zone Portables, Chef Biju and Dr. Lim offer 75 all-new portable food recipes for cyclists, runners, triathletes, mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and backpackers.

While preparing the Feed Zone approach for his athletes, Dr. Lim discovered an important clue about why so many pro cyclists have been abandoning highly processed nutrition products. Pro athletes have been leaving these products at home because of bloating and digestive distress that often occurs when highly concentrated carb solutions enter the gut. These unnatural concentrations can temporarily dehydrate athletes and cause negative side effects. Real foods, with much higher water content and natural sugar concentrations, digest more easily, more quickly, and with less likelihood of dehydration, bloating, and GI distress.

Feed Zone Portables features real food recipes that are simple, delicious during exercise, easy to make, and ready to go.

Here is a sample recipe from Portables to try on your next ride or run.

Banana Waffles

Servings: 8
Time: 20 minutes

1 cup coarse gluten-free bread crumbs
½ cup white rice flour
¼ cup ground almonds
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup almond milk
1 large ripe banana

Heat the waffle iron.

Place the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse quickly to combine.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the eggs and almond milk and stir briskly. Pour this into the food processor, add the banana, and pulse. Batter should be smooth and somewhat dense.

Pour enough batter into each waffle form to nearly fill all the squares (the batter will expand when pressed). Cook until the outside of the waffle feels crisp. Repeat, using the remaining batter.

Makes 4 large waffles. Cut each waffle into quarters and top with your favorite spread(s) to make 8 mini waffle sandwiches. Let cool before wrapping.

In a recipe like this one, Gluten-free bread shortcuts some of the extra flours and makes for a unique texture. The water content of bread is somewhat lower than other carbs, though 43 percent is still well above pre-packaged foods.

Per Serving: Energy 112 cal, Fat 3 g, Sodium 60 mg, Carbs 17 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 4 g, Water 43%

Reprinted from the new cookbook Feed Zone Portables with permission of VeloPress. Find Feed Zone Portables in your local bookstore or bike shop and online. Learn more at feedzonecookbook.com.

Photo: Evelyn Reinson

New Zealand’s Terenzo Bozzone made a statement by beating out Kevin Collington (USA) and Dirk Bockel (LUX) after struggling with an Achilles injury for two years, while Mary Beth Ellis (USA) continued her success at long-distance triathlon at today’s Ironman 70.3 Florida in Haines City, Fla. Read the race recap.

Photo: Susan Lacke

British athletes Paul Amey and Rachel Joyce took the pro victories. For hundreds of age groupers the day wasn’t about winning but about completing the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile run on a hot day. See photos of the age group race above and read the pro recap here.

Gomez is one of the most decorated short course triathletes in the history of the sport and has multiple non-drafting Olympic distance titles to his credit, and this was his first step up to longer distances. He proved that the extra miles were no problem. He led from gun to tape, coming out of the water with Toft before pedaling to a commanding six minute lead at T2. Gomez then used his 29:30 10k speed to stretch his advantage over the field, winning comfortably.

Many athletes and coaches have speculated for years that Gomez has the capability to dominate the half-iron distance, and his first stab at it proved them all right. Aussie Chris McCormack finished sixth.

Full results to come.

Olympic-distance specialists Cameron Dye (USA) and Nicky Samuels (NZL) shined at the 30th anniversary of the Columbia Triathlon in Ellicott City, Md.

First-year pro Hunter Lessi was the first out of the water with a time of 17:12. Dye and most of the remaining contenders exited the water one minute back of Lessi. As he always does, Dye excelled on the Olympic-distance non-drafting bike course, posting a bike split of 56:17 to head into T2 in first position. He had fellow strong cyclist Andrew Yoder (USA) right on his heels, with two-time Olympic medalist Bevan Docherty (NZL) in hot pursuit. Dye backed his strong swim and bike splits with a respectable 35:02 10K run split to hold off a fast-running Docherty. He crossed the line in 1:51:02 to defend his 2012 victory. Docherty turned in the fastest run split of the day to finish second, with Yoder holding off recent Ironman 70.3 St. George winner Brent McMahon for the final podiums spot.

Two New Zealand ITU specialists, Anna Cleaver and Samuels, were the first pair out of the water with swim times of just over 19 minutes. Cleaver appeared to be working hard on the bike with Samuels not far behind when she suffered a mechanical and pulled out of the competition. With Cleaver no longer serving as competition, Samuels took over the top spot. She biked her way to a strong split, finishing the cycling portion in 1:03:57. She backed up that strong bike ride with an even more impressive run. The 36:40 10K run split was easily enough to give her the 2:01:39 victory. Ironman veteran Meredith Kessler (USA) shined in her Olympic-distance debut, finishing second with strong splits across swim, bike and run. Canadian Angela Naeth rounded out the top three.

Columbia Triathlon
Ellicott City, Md. – May 19, 2013
1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run

Men
1 .Cameron Dye (USA) 1:51:02
2. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 1:52:23
3. Andrew Yoder (USA) 1:52:49
4. Brent McMahon (CAN) 1:53:13
5. Tom Davison (NZL) 1:53:29

Women
1. Nicky Samuels (NZL) 2:01:39
2. Meredith Kessler (USA) 2:04:04
3. Angela Naeth (CAN) 2:07:43
4. Radka Vodickova (CZE) 2:08:07
5. Laurel Wassner (USA) 2:08:15

Complete results.

Former Ironman 70.3 world champ Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) and the top American finish in Kona, Mary Beth Ellis, earned the victories at Ironman 70.3 Florida.

PHOTOS: 2013 Ironman 70.3 Florida

Men’s Race
Luxembourg’s Dirk Bockel, who calls nearby Saint Augustine, Fla. home, led the men out the 1.2-mile swim with a split of 23:39. James Hadley (USA), Bozzone and four others followed him closely into T1. Bozzone, who has spent the last couple of years working to come back from an Achilles injury, hammered on the 56-mile bike ride alongside Bockel and the two came into the second transition together. Bozzone and Bockel maintained their side-by-side status through the early miles of the run, but it was Bozzone who had the faster backend speed. His 1:14:40 half marathon cemented a 3:45:51 victory. Collington, who earned the U.S. 70.3 Pro Championship title two weeks ago, posted the second fastest run of the day to earn second, while Bockel easily held on for third.

Women’s Race
Australia’s Kat Baker led the women’s efforts into the first transition, thanks to a swim time of 25:35. Americans Mary Beth Ellis and Dede Griesbauer were not far behind. Ellis worked on the bike, with Baker trying to keep pace through the first half. The American eventually created a bit of a gap and headed into T2 with a lead of 1:27 over Baker and a lead of 5:38 over American Jessica Smith. Ellis’ lead only grew from there. She earned the win in an overall time of 4:14:03. American Mandy McLane ran her way to second, with New Zealand’s Jo Lawn rounding out the top three.

Ironman 70.3 Florida
Haines City, Fla. – May 19, 2013
1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run

Men
1. Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 3:45:51
2. Kevin Collington (USA) 3:47:12
3. Dirk Bockel (LUX) 3:48:16
4. Maxim Kriat (ITA) 3:51:59
5. Arturo Garza (MEX) 3:56:29

Women
1. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 4:14:03
2. Mandy McLane (USA) 4:19:10
3. Jo Lawn (NZL) 4:20:51

Complete results.

It was a British invasion at Ironman Texas as Paul Amey and Rachel Joyce took home the titles in a hot, humid day of racing in The Woodlands.

Men’s Race
Amey, a three-time ITU World Duathlon Champion, earned his first Ironman win with a 8:25:06 finish in a course that was stacked with strong athletes including Mathias Hecht and last year’s second-place finisher Justin Daerr.

“I’ll be perfectly honest. I had a terrible day,” said Amey in a post race press-conference. Plagued with Achilles pain, asthma attacks and relentless heat, the victory came as a surprise to the Brit, who exited the swim in 20^th place, climbed to fifth place during the bike leg, and reeled in his podium spot with a 2:56:18 marathon, the only sub-three marathon of the day. Amey credits the strong marathon to the energy he gained from the crowd:

“This is probably one of the best American races I’ve ever, ever, ever done.”

It was a challenging day for second-place finisher James Cunnama, who spent almost the entire day in the second-place spot; first to bike leader Mathias Hecht, then to Amey on the run. After poor showings recently in Cozumel and South Africa, Cunnama feels his confidence has returned as a result of this race – so much, that he is looking to take on the field at the world championships:

“I think it’s time I dipped my toe in at Kona.”

Ian Mikelson trailed Cunnama for much of the race, and was unable to bridge the three-minute gap between the two. However, the California triathlete was ecstatic to take the podium for the first time in his pro career.

Women’s Race
Joyce led the race from the very beginning, though the win didn’t come easy. After exiting the swim only four seconds apart, Joyce and Texas native Amy Marsh battled for several hours on the bike. A strategic move at Mile 65 made a definitive statement in the race.

“Around mile 65 I started feeling really good, and pushed on. I was pushing hard, but within myself at the same time.”

It was a move that paid off, as Joyce extended her lead by over seven minutes into T2. She then ran a course-record 3:07:22 marathon to win the women’s race by over 35 minutes and establish a new overall women’s course record as well.

As Amy Marsh faded significantly after the bike, Jennie Hansen staged an impressive comeback, running a 3:10 marathon after entering T2 in sixth place off the bike. The rookie triathlete, racing the only third Ironman of her career, was starstruck as she passed Marsh:

“I couldn’t believe it – oh my gosh! There’s women here I look up to!”

The sentiment was the same for Kimberly Schwabenbauer. In only her second year as a pro, the Pennsylvania triathlete was ecstatic with her third-place finish. Like Hansen, Schwabenbauer had a surreal moment in the final miles of the marathon:

“I thought, ‘is this really going to happen today?’”

Ironman Texas
Woodlands, Texas – May 18, 2013
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men
1. Paul Amey (GBR) 8:25:06
2. James Cunnama (RSA) 8:27:35
3. Ian Mikelson (USA) 8:30:06
4. Justin Daerr (USA) 8:30:35
5. Swen Sunberg (GER) 8:37:30

Women
1. Rachel Joyce (GBR) 8:49:14
2. Jennie Hansen (USA) 9:25:35
3. Kimberly Schwabenbauer (USA) 9:33:01
4. Ashley Clifford (USA) 9:36:51
5. Christine Anderson (USA) 9:44:51

Complete results.

The United States’ Josiah Middaugh and Scotland’s Lesley Paterson stay undefeated in the 2013 Xterra U.S. Pro Series thanks to wins at today’s Xterra Southeast Championships in Oak Mountain State Park, Ala. in wet, muddy and slippery conditions.

Middaugh turned in the 12th best swim time, exiting the water in 20:43 behind race leader Conrad Stoltz (RSA) and others. He went to work on the bike, posting the fastest bike split on the technical course at 1:19:27. Despite the effort on the trails, Middaugh still started the run with over a minute to make up on Stoltz and Dan Hugo (RSA). Stoltz was forced to pull out of the race at the 4K mark of the run due to a calf injury that has bothered him all week. With Stoltz on the sidelines, Middaugh excelled and earned the fastest run split of the day in 35:20. He crossed the finish line in 2:17:00 to take the victory. Hugo settled for second, with American Craig Evans rounding out the podium.

“I was happy to be able to keep the tires down and stay focused on my own race,” said Middaugh. “I really had no idea how far back I was on the bike so kept riding hard. I usually lose a lot of time in that last four miles of switchbacks so I didn’t know if I was going to come off the bike four minutes behind or one minute behind.”

Paterson was the second female out of the water behind super swimmer Christine Jeffrey (CAN). Though she had more than two minutes to make up on Jeffrey, it was two-time winner Melanie McQuaid (CAN) who she really needed to worry about. McQuaid exited the swim right on Paterson’s heels and posted the fastest bike split in 1:30:30 to lead Paterson into T2 by 20 seconds. McQuaid quickly erased that deficit and earned the victory thanks to a 38:16 run split. She crossed the finish line in 2:32:40 to continue her dominance of Xterra racing. McQuaid finished second with Brandi Heisterman (CAN) rounding out the top three.

“I was really nervous coming in because I’ve never ridden in slippery conditions like this in Southern California and although I grew up in this kind of weather in Scotland, I wasn’t a mountain biker back then,” said Paterson. “The roots, those things are buggers, you hit them at the wrong angle and you’re off.  So, I only had four crashes, thought that was quite impressive.”

Xterra Southeast Championships
Oak Mountain State Park, Ala. – May 18, 2013

Men
1. Josiah Middaugh (USA) 2:17:00
2. Dan Hugo (RSA) 2:18:44
3. Craig Evans (USA) 2:22:49
4. Bradley Weiss (RSA) 2:25:32
5. Nick Fisher (USA) 2:27:23

Women
1. Lesley Paterson (SCO) 2:32:40
2. Melanie McQuaid (CAN) 2:36:25
3. Brandi Heisterman (CAN) 2:41:32
4. Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) 2:42:42
5. Suzie Snyder (USA) 2:42:51

Complete results.

Germans Faris Al-Sultan and Kristin Möller won Ironman Lanzarote using dominating performances highlighted by strong bike rides on a course that include 8,000 feet of climbing.

The swim started under pretty heavy rain, but the lead pack of six men stuck together during the two laps, led by Brit Stephen Bayliss (last year’s Lanzarote runner-up), who finished in a time of 47:45. Bayliss was closely followed by five men including Al-Sultan and Spain’s Miguel Blanchart. Al-Sultan soon took the lead, followed by Brit Philip Graves and Bayliss, but kept building a huge lead all the way into T2. He finished the bike in 4:53:03, with Graves and Blanchart almost 10 minutes back into T2. Al-Sultan ran a 2:55 marathon to maintain almost that 10-minute lead to the finish, finishing in a time of 8:42:40. Blanchart finished second after running a 2:54:20 marathon, and Estonian Kirill Kotsegarov edged out Graves in a sprint to the finish to take the final spot on the podium.

In the women’s race, Dutch age grouper Hanneke de Boer was first out on the bike after finishing the swim in a time of 54:06. She was followed by Spanish pro Saleta Castro and age-grouper Melissa Dowell of the UK. British pro Bella Bayliss started the bike in fourth but later dropped out on the run. Starting the bike in eighth position about five and half minutes back was German pro Kristin Möller, who powered through the tough bike course to take the lead. Dutch pro Heleen Bij de Vaate moved into second place on the bike (she finished third on this course last year). Möller maintained her lead into T2, finishing the bike in a time of 5:31:47. Bij de Vaate used a 5:39 bike split to start the run in second about 15 minutes behind the leader. Möller posted a solid 2:58 marathon to maintain the lead to the finish—she finished 32 minutes over the runner-up. Bij de Vaate finished second, and Castro rounded out the podium.

More than 1700 age-group athletes started the race, including Gordon Haller, the first-ever Ironman Hawaii winner in 1978.

Ironman Lanzarote
Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain – May 18, 2013
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Men
1. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:42:40
2. Miguel Blanchart (ESP) 8:52:08
3. Kirill Kotsegarov (EST) 9:04:09
4. Philip Graves (GBR) 9:04:17
5. Bert Jammaer (BEL) 9:06:48

Women
1. Kristin Möller (GER) 9:37:34
2. Heleen Bij de Vaate (NED) 10:09:31
3. Saleta Castro (ESP) 10:14:27
4. Joyce Wolfe (IRE) 10:31:45

Complete results.

Julie Dibens, one of the strongest female cyclists in the sport of triathlon, held her own against an invitation-only field at the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Time Trial on the technical course.

Dibens started near the front and crossed the finish line with an official clock time of 59:48. The time was good enough for eighth place in the lineup of 14 athletes who completed the 19.8-mile course.

PHOTOS: Julie Dibens On The Bike

Cyclists had the choice to switch to a road bike for the final steep climb up to the finish line, but Dibens opted to stick with her Trek Speed Concept to the finish line.

Dibens is a decorated triathlete across all distances of triathlon with one Ironman 70.3 World Championship title and three Xterra World Championships to her name. She has not competed in triathlon since she withdrew from the 2011 Ironman World Championship due to an injury that has plagued her throughout her career. Early in 2012 Dibens underwent back-to-back foot and knee surgeries and has just recently been able to return to running. She hopes to validate her spot for the 2013 Ironman 70.3 World Championship with a finish at August’s Ironman 70.3 Boulder.

RELATED: Julie Dibens’ Tour of California Time Trial Prep

1. Evelyn Stevens
21.3 mph | Specialized-lululemon
55:49

2. Alison Powers
21 mph | NOW and Novartis for MS
+0:56

3. Kristin Mcgrath
20.8 mph | Exergy Twenty16
+1:24

4. Jade Wilcoxson
20.2 mph | Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
+3:02

5. Mara Abbott
20.2 mph | Exergy Twenty16
+3:09

6. Alison Tetrick
20.1 mph | Exergy Twenty16
+3:26

7. Brianna Walle
19.9 mph | Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
+3:52

8. Julie Dibens
19.9 mph | Trek
+3:59

9. Taylor Wiles
19.9 mph | Specialized-lululemon
+4:01

10. Robin Farina
19.8 mph | NOW and Novartis for MS
+4:10

11. Jasmin Glaesser
19.6 mph | Team TIBCO
+4:56

12. Katie Compton
19.6 mph | Trek Cyclocross Collective
+5:00

13. Lauren Stephens
19.2 mph | Team TIBCO
+6:05

14. Rhae Shaw
19 mph | Vanderkitten +6:44

RELATED – Julie Dibens: “It’s Been A Hard Year”

For more from the Amgen Tour of California, visit Velonews.com.

Lessons from Jesse Thomas’ stumbling journey through the world of sponsorship.

30 G’s! That’s my number. No, it’s not what you need to “show me” for my endorsement. I wish. That’s my estimate of about what it costs to race a full triathlon season in the U.S. Let’s say six to 10 races including travel, entry fees, lodging, rental cars, motherflipping airline bike fees, etc. Then there’s equipment, coaching, massage and other medical services, club/pool fees, maybe a training camp and bam! $30 large.

This, my friends, is an expensive sport. No wonder the average age-grouper makes more than six figures. Unless you are a Fortune 500 executive (nope), the Prince of Monaco (nope), or have a sugar momma (booyah!), it’s nearly impossible to get into, „much less stay in the sport, without some type of support.

And what if you want to be a pro? Now you have to find a way to make money while also training enough to be competitive. Unlike many major sports, there are few to no development systems, teams, athlete unions or other organizations that provide support to limit initial costs and provide guidance to aspiring pros. You have to figure it out on your own.

As the story goes, I used a borrowed bike, helmet, kit and, of course, my $8 drugstore aviators when I won my first Wildflower in 2011. As cool as it felt to be the un-branded, totally random, surprise winner dude, it was a completely unsustainable business model. I made $5,500 that day: $5K in prize money, and a $500 bonus from Rolf Prima—my one and only sponsor at the time. That year I made about $14K in prize money, and $1,000 in bonuses from Rolf Prima—and I had four additional top-five finishes, and never finished outside of the prize money! Even with a solid season, I covered half of my triathlon costs. Triathlon’s contribution to our living expenses was a big donut. By which I mean zero. I couldn’t even afford to buy us a big donut.

You can see how without sponsorship, professional triathlon doesn’t exist. And if you don’t figure it out quickly, you’re out of the sport in a hurry—a $15–$20K yearly loss is only sustainable for so long, no matter how sweet your sugar momma. Forget about getting rich; you hope to earn enough to cover your costs and, if you’re lucky, provide a modest living for yourself and your family. Only the top five to 10 men and women in the sport make as much or more than the average age-grouper.

RELATED: Plan Your Season Like A Pro

But it can happen. I’m finally able to provide a modest living for me, Lauren and our Lima Bean due in June. Thank goodness, because Sugar Momma can’t make Lima Bean and sugar at the same time.

So people ask me all the time: How do you get sponsored? And I can tell you after roughly three years of figuring it out that there is no one answer, and the full answer is much more than I could contain in a single article. But I’ll provide some of the key lessons I’ve learned so far:

It’s not about you
The most important, and hardest thing for an aspiring pro or high-level age-grouper to understand (myself included) is that just because you ride a bike fast doesn’t mean a company wants to give you one. And if you start a relationship with “I’m fast, can you give me a bike?” you’ll go nowhere fast—literally, because you won’t even have a bike. Whether someone is giving you wads of cash or wads of stretchy shoelaces, there has to be some identifiable, quantifiable and appealing value in it for them in return. Your first job is to look through their lens and understand their needs to best identify how you can help them reach their goals. Most companies want much more than just racing fast with a logo on your kit. They want exposure, influence on a specific market, product development feedback and alignment with a specific personality and/or brand. When you start thinking about what a sponsor wants, you’ve taken your first step to developing a constructive relationship.

It takes time
In my dehydrated delusion after I won my first Wildflower, I thought people would be tripping over themselves to show me the money. “Let it RAIN, bitches!” Yeah right. Even though I was introduced to Mallory at Specialized and Geoff at Pearl Izumi shortly after that event, it took nearly nine months before I had a sponsorship with either of them. I spoke with both of them consistently during the course of the season. Without consciously understanding what I was doing, I “invested” in the relationship with regular communication, which became as important as my results. By the time they were ready to make an “investment,” I understood the value I could provide them, and we had strong relationships already established. Nearly all of my most valuable sponsorships have developed organically over many months, even years.

Wearing both hats
One of the toughest things I’ve had to learn is when and how to put on the “Athlete” hat versus the “Agent” hat. You see, the vast majority of us don’t have an agent; we have to be both the “unassuming, easygoing, hardworking and friendly” Athlete and the “bust your balls, I’m going to get the best deal possible, show me the money or else” Agent. Of course, for me, it’s hardly that extreme, but I have to be slightly different versions of myself. If the Agent doesn’t show up, the Athlete doesn’t get a sponsorship, which means no diapers for Lima Bean.

Balancing competing priorities
When I examine a potential sponsorship, there are a few key characteristics I weigh.

Value: How much value do I get out of the relationship? This could be saved/reduced expenses, free services or, in the best cases, actual money to pay the bills.

Authenticity: Is it a product, company and people that I believe in? Does it match me as an athlete and as a person?

Relationship: Is it a relationship that I am excited to pursue and maintain, hopefully for the long term?

Cost: “Cost?” you say, “WTF? I thought they are giving you stuff?” Sorry son, every sponsorship has its cost. The simplest costs are logo real estate on your jersey or website, but more importantly it’s communication time, energy, appearances or help at events, etc.

RELATED: Tri Speak

In my experience, it’s important to have a solid balance in each of these categories. I’ve passed on sponsorship opportunities because they were weak in a single category—good value, but products I couldn’t authentically endorse or use, or products I liked, but provided little financial benefit and would ultimately take time away from my ability to service my other sponsors, or train, recover and be with my family. It’s a balancing act—not all sponsorships are good sponsorships, and having more sponsorships isn’t necessarily better.

Find your “board of advisers”
I can hardly say I’ve figured all this stuff out and made all my decisions on my own. I have a core group of people I run every potential sponsorship decision by: Lauren; my coach, Matt; and my mom. I’m also lucky enough to have access to people with experience in the sport whose opinion I value greatly, like Tim DeBoom and Matt Lieto—but please don’t tell Matt I said I value his opinion greatly. These people understand me, my career goals and my priorities. As in any business, it’s incredibly important to build a team of advisers you trust.

It takes a buttload of work
Like I said, I spend months cultivating a sponsorship before I ever get anything in return, and I’ve cultivated a lot of sponsorships that ultimately didn’t work out. It’s a dynamic and sometimes frustrating environment. Then, the work is hardly over after you sign the deal; it’s really just begun. Maintaining and servicing sponsorships requires tweeting and Facebooking, phone calls, emails, pictures, blog updates, articles in Triathlete magazine about sponsorship, etc. Each sponsor is essentially an employer that wants to know what you’re up to, and how the money and/or product/services they’ve invested in you are being utilized to produce value in return. So be prepared to consistently communicate the value next time you get someone to show you the money.

RELATED VIDEO: Jesse Thomas On Third Wildflower Victory

Jesse Thomas (@jessemthomas) is the 2011 and 2012 Wildflower Long Course champion. He lives in Bend, Ore., and is the CEO of Picky Bars (Pickybars.com).

More “Triathlife” columns from Jesse Thomas.

The Rev3 Triathlon Series announced today that it will expand to the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania in 2014. The venue is the Shawnee Inn and will house the expo, T2 and the finish line. The area used to host Ironman 70.3 Poconos.

“We are thrilled to expand our race series and add Rev3 Pocono Mountains,” said Charlie Patten, Revolution 3 President and Founder in the announcement. “This is a beautiful area at this time of the year, and will truly celebrate the fall season and outdoor multisport on the East Coast.”

The weekend will include an evening Rev3 Glow 5K, a sprint adventure race, a family adventure race, an Olympic-distance triathlon and a half-Rev triathlon. The half-Rev will offer up a professional prize purse of $50,000.

Race weekend is set for Sept. 12-14, 2014.

Learn more at Rev3tri.com.

RELATED: Rev3 Announces New Pro Series Format

Bob Babbit writes about triathlon age-grouper Mike Bucher, who is the proud father of 14 children.

Mike Bucher (pronounced “Boo-ker”), the pastor at the Calvary Chapel in Cleveland, was sitting in his home while I was in our radio studio in San Diego. “So Mike,” I asked, “can you name your kids?”

For most parents, it’s a total snap. Remembering three, four or five names? What’s the big deal?

But Mike and his wife, Sheila, are not like most parents. For a time, their family vehicle was a 15-person shuttle bus. They spend $500 a week on groceries, go through a battalion-size box of cereal for breakfast and an oversized bottle of ketchup at dinner along with five gallons of milk. Their washer and dryer handle five loads of laundry every day.

That’s what happens when you have 14 kids, which is why my question didn’t seem so easy to me. Mike laughed. “I used to also be able to give you the birth weight and birth date for all the kids,” he says, “but just the names? No problem! Matthew, 25;  Elizabeth, 23; Noah, 22; Caleb, 21; Joey, 20; Isaac, 18; Anna, 16; Abby, 15; Melody, 14; Becky, 12; Daniel, 11; Mikey, 9; David, 7; and Sammy, 4.”

Sheila and Mike went to rival high schools in the Cincinnati area and met on a blind date. “We were married when Sheila was 19 and I was 23,” he says. Two years later, they became parents for the very first time.

Mike grew up loving speed. His dad, Jim Bucher, was one of the best top fuel dragster drivers and an inductee into the Drag Racing Hall of Fame. During his teenage years, Mike drove dragsters, played baseball and football, and lifted weights. “I despised endurance sports,” says Mike, laughing.

After breaking an ankle playing football when he was 45 and being told he would never run a marathon because of the severity of the injury, Mike created a four-year plan to not only complete a marathon (he finished his first marathon at the age of 49 in 2011) but to finish an iron-distance triathlon. He completed a sprint triathlon nine months after breaking his ankle and loved it.

He moved up in distance the next few years and completed an Olympic, a half-Ironman and then two iron-distance Rev3 Cedar Point races in Sandusky, Ohio. “The event really should be called the Iron Heart or Iron Will Triathlon,” he says, “because that is exactly what it takes to get to the finish.”

While Sheila homeschools the kids, Mike puts his bike on the trainer with his MP3 player, Bible and notepad to prepare his sermons. “I can spend two to three hours working on my message,” he says. “There are a lot of voices in the house and a lot of voices at the church. While I’m running or riding or swimming, that is the alone time I need to do my job as a pastor.”

At the age of 50, he feels he is fitter than ever. “I want to still be healthy when my youngest is as old as my oldest,” he continues. “I’ll be 70 then.”

While their life certainly has challenges, there are some significant upsides. “We always have plenty of labor to rake leaves, shovel snow and mow the lawn,” he says. “Every child does their own laundry, and they all are growing up to become responsible young men and women. I feel like our kids have learned to be selfless, not selfish, and that’s an important life lesson.”

One of Mike’s favorite triathlon memories came at the end of his first Rev3 iron-distance race in 2011, where he went 13:42, when 12 of his kids were there to run across the line with him. “That was a very special moment for me,” he says.

But while Mike is well aware that finishing two long-distance triathlons is great, the real star in his world is his wife. “Sheila has given birth to, raised and homeschooled 14 children,” he says. “Sheila is the only real Ironman in our house.”

Bob Babbitt is the co-founder of Competitor magazine, the co-founder of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, the host of Competitor Radio and an inductee into the Ironman Triathlon Hall of Fame and USA Triathlon Hall of Fame. To hear his interviews with more than 500 endurance legends, visit Competitorradio.com.

RELATED – Never A Bad Day: Lucky 13

Q: With the warmer weather finally here, I’m taking my long rides outside. How should I be approaching my on-the-bike hydration?

A: The first step is to assess your fluid needs. Test and know your sweat rate (the average is 24–32 ounces an hour, or at least one bottle per hour), then determine how much fluid you will need to carry for a race. Find out the specifics for your race; for example, sprint tris often do not supply fluid on the bike course, so you’ll need to carry your own. Olympic-distance races may have one, two (or no) bottle refill stations, so you’ll need to carry enough fluid to either complete your race, or make it between aid stations.

Next, address your bike frame size and setup to determine how much fluid you can hold and where you can stash it. For example, my tri bike can only hold one bottle cage on my downtube; larger bikes can hold two. Aerobars allow for front-mount bottles you can reach and drink while staying in the aero position. Rear-mount bottles allow for “easy reach” when in the aero position, provided you feel comfortable reaching behind you while riding. Regardless of which you choose, I’d recommend one bottle of plain water to drink with gels, bars and chews, and one to two bottles of sports drink (with 50–70 calories and 200mg sodium per 8 ounces). I advise my athletes to rely mostly on their sports drink (for fluid, calories and sodium in each gulp) and add extra water once calorie needs are reached or in excessive heat conditions for those with higher fluid volume needs. Just be sure to have your hydration setup and plan ironed out before you race.

Clinical nutritionist and certified sports dietitian Lauren Antonucci is the owner/director of Nutrition Energy in New York City.

RELATED: Practicing Triathlon Nutrition Indoors

Triathlete contributor and swimming all-star Sara McLarty has a blog with more than 500 creative workouts used in her Masters swim program in Clermont, Fla. We’ll feature a workout every Friday so you have new ideas to take to the pool. On her blog (Mastersswimworkoutsbysaramclarty.blogspot.com), you can pick a Monday set for a long distance focus, a Wednesday set for sprint training, or Friday for creative open water skills.

A:
500 with fins/200 Kick/100 Drill
4×50 @ 1:15 kick
4×50 @ 1:05 drill
4×50 @ :55 swim (build)
500 Pull w/:30 rest (250 FAST!/250 smooth)
5×100 swim w/fins @ 1:30 (50 FAST!/50 smooth)
8×50 @ :60 (start in middle of pool/25 easy/climb out/dive/25 FAST!)
3×100 @ 1:45 (IM)
4xSuicides w/:20 rest (25 FAST!/25 ez/50 FAST!/50 ez)
300 cool down
*4000 Total*

B:
400 with fins/200 Kick/100 Drill
4×50 @ 1:30 kick
4×50 @ 1:20 drill
4×50 @ 1:10 swim (build)
400 Pull w/:30 rest (200 FAST!/200 smooth)
4×100 swim w/fins @ 2:00 (50 FAST!/50 smooth)
6×50 @ 1:15 (start in middle of pool/25 easy/climb out/dive/25 FAST!)
4xSuicides w/:30 rest (25 FAST!/25 ez/50 FAST!/50 ez)
300 cool down
*3300 Total*

C:
300 with fins/200 Kick/100 Drill
4×50 w/:20 rest kick
4×50 w/:20 rest drill
4×50 w/:20 rest swim (build)
6×50 w/:20 rest (start in middle of pool/25 easy/climb out/dive/25 FAST!)
4xSuicides w/:30 rest (25 FAST!/25 ez/50 FAST!/50 ez)
300 cool down
*2400 Total*

More swim workouts.