Joe LoPresto's blog

Welcome to the EXPERIENCETriathlon blog! Enjoy the stories posted by our athletes, and feel free to give them positive comments!

On Saturday, April 26, ET athletes and coaches made a journey to Madison, WI to participate in the 2008 Crazy Legs Classic 8K. They joined thousands of runners and walkers for making this another record-breaking year and outstanding event!

The venue for the race is on the University of Wisconsin campus. The race starts in downtown Madison on Capitol Square and winds through the UW campus. Maybe the word "climbs through the UW campus" describes this rather hilly course! Many runners enjoy the campus sites and especially the support from the UW students on fraternity row.

The Crazy Legs Classic finish is the 50 yard line of Camp Randall Stadium. Finishers are shown on the video board as they enter the stadium, allowing participants to watch themselves cross the line.

The post-race festival is a long time favorite of the hard-core runner and fun-seeker alike. Race participants are refueled with free fruit and bottled water, while complimentary beer and the UW Marching Band's legendary 5th Quarter performance provide that unique Wisconsin flavor.

After the post-race festivities, ET athletes and coaches enjoyed a fabulous dinner and a visit to the Student Union for some ice cream while taking in the sites on Lake Mendota.

Check out the fun pictures at ET Photo.

Mark your calendars for next year's Crazy Legs Classic to take place on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Once again, it promises to be the event of 2009! Hope to see you there!

William Faulkner wrote "Memphis ain't a bad town, for them that like city life." And as it turns out, it ain't bad for them that like to swim, bike and run either.

An enthusiastic bunch of ETers showed up at Coach Patty's house bright and early in the morning to begin the caravan that would land us at the starting line of the Memphis in May Triathlon. The group was a mixture of relay participants and folks completing the entire event, but either way everyone was ready to race. After a drive filled with amusing walkie-talkie chatter, everyone got checked into their hotel rooms and we went into Memphis for a group dinner.

The next morning started with the ET team acting as unofficial "lake scum skimmers" as we took our preparatory swim in the lake. Nothing says group bonding like snickering at one another as we try to wrestle our way into wetsuits. After the swim, the bikers in the group headed out on a ride to scout the course. We wrapped up race prep with a short group run.

Folks spent the afternoon relaxing, visiting the expo to pick up packets and shop, as well as going on drives of the bike and run course with Coaches Joe and Greg describing the course details.

Race morning broke with the team heading to the race site and getting what we THOUGHT was prime parking right on the road. Of course, Pat, who left with a head-shaped dent in her car might have an opposing opinion... And Jeff, who left with a car-sized headache, might agree with Pat. The pre-race hours were filled with transition set-up, body marking, and sun block application. That morning I think each and every member of the team felt gratitude for the PB&J sandwiches Sara and Rachel made for the team.

The talents and team spirit of ET was shining bright as people swam, biked and ran their way to great races. The team was gathered at the end to cheer everyone in, and secretly, I think the speed and skill was an attempt to get to the BBQ as fast as possible.

Not a group to let tradition die, ET celebrated success with a trip to Beale Street for dinner, drinks and celebration. As a group that firmly believes in a "no triathlete left behind" philosophy, we can proudly say we returned triumphantly to Chicago with the same number of athletes we had when we left!

Enjoy all the photos from our trip to Memphis at ET Photo.

What do you get when you mix warm weather, beautiful scenery, and a yummy British cycling guide? The ET spring training camp in Solvang, CA.

A group of cycling-seeking ETers hopped a plane to sunny California this March to test their bike legs (and their wine palates) while admiring the stunning vistas of the Santa Ynez Valley. Solvang is a small city in Santa Barbara County originally founded on Spanish land by a group of Danish educators in 1911. The town holds on to its Danish heritage with replica windmills and traditional German style architecture. The trip was a great experience for all, giving the group the chance to swim, bike and run in temperatures far more favorable than could be found in Illinois.

After a drive from LAX to Solvang the group had a wonderful kickoff dinner at The Vineyard House, a local eatery immortalized in the Oscar award winning film Sideways. The subsequent days in Solvang included two group rides where everyone was able to enjoy lunch outdoors followed by tastings at the local wineries.

The group also had the chance to swim at the local YMCA with Coaches Joe and Patty providing their expertise. Post swim was an ET Power session of strength training. The trip wasn't all work though... The schedule allowed plenty of time for touring the surrounding area, hitting the many quaint shops of Solvang and frequent trips to the Bulldog for lattes.

Fate seemed to be pushing for ET to continue our California vacation when flights home for part of the group were canceled. Always a crowd that believes that when life hands you lemons you should make Gatorade, those who ended up spending an extra, unexpected day in LA squeezed in a casual afternoon trip to the beach before catching a flight the next day.

Eventually everyone made it home and our 2008 California ET Spring Training Camp was a resounding success.

Enjoy all the amazing photos at ET Photo.

The fourth annual Beer, Brats, and Barbeque Ride was hosted by Maureen and Dave B. on September 30, 2007. Over 60 riders showed up on this beautiful morning for nice ride followed by a great BBQ.

Before the ride, Jeanne Brower thanked co-leaders for their help in making this the most successful year of group rides. The following people helped lead rides this past year: Nancy H., Steve B., Steve T., Jeff P., Jeff S., Brenda E., Laurie S., Drew R., Bob T., Chuck H., Patty S., Rich T., and Greg F. Jeanne recognized Coach Joe for his ongoing support of the group rides and thanked him for his work. Maureen was thanked for hosting the ride for the fourth year.

Riders had three ride options of varying distances. The rides took place west of Sugar Grove in a rural area with a few rolling hills, good roads and beautiful scenery. The weather was fantastic for the ride.

After the ride, everyone enjoyed the brats, chicken, a wide variety of side dishes and beer. Dave B. is a grill master and cooked up some great food for everyone. People enjoyed the company of their fellow riders. It was a great day to soak up the sun and hang out with friends.

Maureen said she and Dave are planning to host another ride on the last Sunday in September, 2008. We can all look forward to that as we spend quality time on our trainers this winter!

Thanks Jeanne for all your hard work in making the ET/LTF group ride program a great success!! - Coach Joe

Enjoy photos of our fun day at ET Photo!!

In the weeks before the Pleasant Prairie race, as I was working through the paces of hard workouts on hot and humid days, I found myself praying that the race day would be cool and overcast with cloud cover. Be careful what you wish for! The Sunday morning of the race started off with the bang and excitement of rolling thunder and lightning coursing through the skies along with a heavy downpour. Gathering with the rest of the ET group in the continental breakfast area of the hotel at 4:30am, I found us looking at each other wondering if we were racing in this kind of weather. For most of us this was our first time at Pleasant Prairie and at the Olympic distance. Fortunately, there were those who were more experienced and offered a calming presence in the midst of the chaotic storm. That is the nice thing about having a coach to offer the reassurance that things will work out. Having a computer to access weather forecasting sites also helped to see that a window of opportunity existed to get this race off the ground. Thus, in the darkness and rain we proceeded to the race site.

At the race site, we huddled in the warmth of the rec center gym to dry off and get mentally and physically ready for the race scheduled to go an hour later than expected. Our bikes were already racked from the night before and covered in plastic to protect the gears and wheels from the night of dousing rain. Everything looked good for the start of the race. It was cloudy and a tolerable coolness was in the air - the kind that usually follows an early morning storm. It was almost as if I had prayed for this kind of weather! I was in swim wave three with several other fellow ET athletes which was good for moral support as we offered words of encouragement just before entering the water.

With the sound of the horn, so began the journey of my first Olympic Distance Tri. The water felt great! Not cold at all. I did take advantage of the wetsuit so as to have the added buoyancy, which made swimming a little easier. The usual group rush into the water resulted in the typical banging elbows, feet and heads. It took the first of three legs of the triangular swim route to clear a straight path that allowed for a good swimming form. Fifteen hundred meters later, the finish line was in site. Out of the water and to transition I went.

Transition has been a challenge for me this first season. I am learning that transitions can be "free speed." This time around I had been experimenting with biking without socks and putting my bike shoes in the clips during the pre-race preparation. Slip the wetsuit off, wipe the feet, glasses on, helmet strap, bike off the rack and off to the bike out gate. Lo and behold, my time did improve some - still got a ways to go, but I am getting the idea that transition practices are important. Part of that practice is mentally thinking through the transition and organizing your transition area in a way to match your visualization training.

I had my shoes secured to my pedal clips with rubber bands holding the heels of the shoes to the rear skewer and the front derailleur, which kept them parallel to the ground. At the mounting line it was up on the saddle and feet on top of my shoes and done the road I went. As I reached a comfortable speed, I slipped my feet into the shoes and fastened the straps. Smooth transition. The road course was pretty straightforward with a variety of surfaces from smooth asphalt to patchwork country lanes. Downhills, uphills, flats and turns of all varieties were present. The coolness of the day made the course very bearable and accounted for some excellent times from seasoned amateurs and newbies alike. Rain came into picture occasionally, but it was the kind that was refreshing rather than insulting. Saw few flats during the race - mostly after some sharp turns on bumpy roads. You definitely feel for those racers as you watch them struggle to change their tubes and pray that you don't find a similar audience later in the race. In what seemed like a few sips of Gatorade and a blink of an eye, I was back to the dismounting line and heading for transition two.

T2 was the highlight of my race for I got the opportunity to see and hear from my biggest fans as I ran my bike to the rack - my wife and kids! That was the first time they had seen me in a race. Seeing my kids jump up and down and hearing their words of encouragement meant so much to me. I was almost intoxicated by the feeling. Perhaps that is why I goofed a little on T2. Racked the bike, traded my bike shoes for run shoes, took off my helmet and to the run out gate I went. There's nothing I have forgotten...I think. What am I missing? Just as I got half way to the run out gate, I remembered my run belt/number. Arrrrggghhh! Going back to get my number cost me about 25 extra seconds, a difference I would later learn of one place in the final rankings. Lesson learned. And now it was on to the run.

The run is usually my strength and within a few minutes, I had shaken off any hip flexor stiffness obtained during the bike ride and was in full stride throughout most of the run. The only challenge I had was running the Olympic distance of six miles in a competitive environment. Finding the right pace to make sure I didn't burn out too quickly was my main objective. Thus, it made me a little tentative to go all out and my overall time was a little slower than I wanted. The cool thing about running this course was that it gave me the joy of seeing fellow ET athletes as we passed each other at various stages of the course that intersected. High fives and more words of encouragement from my second family was another high that fueled my run. Finally, the end was in sight as I rounded the last quarter of the lake towards the finish line and the waiting crowd, including my family, who all cheered on every triathlete that ran between the fences for the last hundred yards - yet another exhilarating high. A medal on my neck, a bottle of Gatorade in hand, and hugs galore from my family awaited me on the other side.

I also found a great sense of accomplishment in completing a goal that I set for myself way back December of 2006 when I was planning my 2007 race season with Coach Joe. At one time, I could not have imagined myself doing triathlons. Now I can imagine anything is possible if I put my mind to it and have the wonderful support of family and the ET friends I made in this journey and watched cross the same finish line beaming in their own glow of great accomplishment. What can I imagine now...Ironman?????

Take a look at the Pleasant Prairie pictures on ET Photo!!

I'm at what I like to think is the mid-point in my life (53 by USAT standards) and finally have the opportunity to enjoy the half-time entertainment, which I am hoping to extend for a least three more decades. I saw a saying (and actually put it on my Road ID) that says, "Life is a Tri, Go for It!" and that's my plan for the future. And since the lucky day I met Joe LoPresto and learned about Experience Triathlon (ET), this is no longer a figment of my imagination; I truly believe I have a shot at being a long-term triathlete with his expert guidance, along with ET coaches Steve, Greg and Patty.

When I was in my late forties, I made a decision that I wanted to be "Fit at Fifty," so I started working with a personal trainer toward that goal. The focus was primarily strength training, using cardio activities as a warm-up, and the routine was effective for weight loss and general conditioning, but the aerobic capacity factor was missing. I've always enjoyed various sports, am reasonably coordinated and have always liked being active, but never really found my niche. I've always secretly wanted to be a competitive athlete in some sport and was excited when the magazine Geezerjock was first published because it provided examples of successful athletes in every sport imaginable over the age of 40. I worked with two people on an extensive project at work, one an accomplished triathlete and the other her "tri project." I was fascinated by the sport and impressed that these two got up at 4 AM to swim, etc. before a hectic day in the world of public accounting. I've never been much of a runner and my idea of swimming was laying on a raft in the middle of the pool, going down the water slides or goofing off on the diving board, so I assumed that a tri would be way too challenging for me to even attempt and gave it no consideration. All the while during this period in my life I was a care-giver for a seriously ill spouse, which inspired me to ensure I did everything possible to improve my health status for life because while some health issues cannot be avoided, there are several that can be eliminated with positive lifestyle choices. As I tweaked my fitness profile, I was constantly seeking something that would be challenging, but could be done for life. Triathlons seem like the perfect choice, because you don't just run, which can be really tough on older joints, rather you mix it up and swim and bike, too. You also incorporate weight-bearing exercises via core work to ward off osteoporosis for older women like me, so it's the perfect recipe for the "Baby Boomer" crowd. I talked to my work triathlete friend about giving it a try and she totally agreed it was perfect for someone my age and was really excited that I was giving it consideration. She assured me that I too could be a triathlete, but she highly recommended formal training with someone experienced in the sport. So earlier this year, I decided to attempt a sprint distance triathlon, just to see if I could cross the finish line intact. I checked out some training options and attended a couple of introductory sessions two different places, but I really wanted something local. So I joined the Lifetime Fitness triathlon group class in Romeoville this past spring after doing a Google search for local tri training that lead me to ET's website (best Google find ever). I contacted Coach Joe from the ET site, who told me about the class, assured me that the class was for all levels and encouraged me to join the group. Prior to joining the class, I had already registered for the Danskin Women's Sprint tri and like an idiot told family and friends my plan, so now I was committed and knew I had to start training or die at the event. The group class was fun and I learned a lot from Coach Steve (outstanding coach and instructor) from biking to swimming to transition to changing a bike tire. But I wasn't disciplined enough to train the way I should have been on my own for the event, especially swimming, which is extremely tough for me. I did some other training after the Lifetime class ended, specific to the Danskin tri, with a group of women in the northwest suburbs. It was helpful, but not quite the right scenario for me, although I met a lot of really nice people who became friends. I stumbled through the Danskin Sprint tri 7/08/07 with 3900 other women (it's quite the zoo) and finished (my goal) very slowly, but had a great time (fun, not speed) and was very motivated to improve, because it kinda awakened my competitive spirit, coupled with my desire for fitness for life. This experience truly excited me about the sport and made me want to be a better all-around person in all aspects of my life.

I had a feeling this would be the thing for me; it's challenging, it's fun, it's a great community of people, and I should be able to do it long-term. I'm now serious about this, so I knew I needed professional advice to advance. I need to improve all of my tri skills, but especially swimming, so I knew from past experience that Coach Joe would be the best and I contacted him for suggestions. We started personal coaching services about a month ago and I'm in awe of Coach Joe: he's my "Tri-dol!" His attention to detail and tailoring training for me specifically is perfect. I participated in the Pleasant Prairie sprint tri 8/19/07 just for more race experience and to see if I really like the sport and the answer is a definite yes. I like that it's an individual effort (except for the coaching aspect) and you're really only competing with yourself. But with Experience Triathlon, you truly feel like you are part of a team and each Coach (Joe, Steve, Greg and Patty) is always supportive, encouraging and super helpful with knowledge and sharing tips on the spot.

In my short tenure with ET, I've been to Summer Camp (awesome fun, learning experience), Centennial Beach Monday swims, had a private swim lesson with Coach Steve, one group run and a few group bike rides. All of the coaches are outstanding: they are not only knowledgeable, but diplomatic, kind and encouraging while instructing, which is really appreciated by me. They genuinely care and never make me feel like I'm a "ball and chain" in any of the group activities. This is true of all of the ET athletes; everyone is extremely nice, not to mention FUN! I could go on and on about all the wonderful experiences I have had in such a short time with ET, but this is long enough already, so I'll save some for my next novel. There's a saying that "the more you know, the more you realize how little you know." I've only scratched the tri surface, but am looking forward to learning from the best for a long time. Thanks Coach Joe and everyone involved with ET! You're the best!

Ever wonder what triathletes think about during a long, tough race? Here's a peek into our world as Marsha fights the demons and completes her first Olympic triathlon at Pleasant Prairie. Congrats on a great race and beating the demons, Marsha! - Coach Joe

Marsha (left) and Suzy at ET Summer Camp

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Coach Joe always says I am too quiet. There is nothing quiet about what I am thinking during a Triathlon...

I wake up at 3:50am to bolts of lightning and winds and downpour. It is ugly outside. I stayed up in Wisconsin with Sue (tri buddy). We giggle and think about going back to sleep but don't want to look like wimps in front of the ET family that are waiting for us in the lobby. We go downstairs and find everyone dressed and ready to go. I think there must be something wrong with us as we venture out in the cold rain to set up transition. I get to transition and am now wet, muddy, cold and scared of the roads to bike on. People are leaving and bailing out of the race in numbers. I look around to see if anyone I know is doing the same. No... of course not. Now I think there is something definitely wrong with us all.

The race officials open the rec complex due to the dangerous weather and we huddle in there and wait. The announcer at 6:30am says, "Now that we only have the strong left and the weak have gone home, we are going to start the race in 30 minutes." Blah blah blah about how dangerous the road conditions are and that our brakes won't work well and.... I feel sick and I want to throw up. Why am I here and why am I going to do this? I look around for someone else looking ill and everyone else is packing up their stuff and heading out for transition. Coach Joe sees me and does his magic pep talk and I head out the door.

It's cold, wet and, ok, good... a little humid. That will help me feel warmer. Great- I look out in transition and everyone has wetsuits. Nice. My sure thing swim now just got compromised because everyone now is a better swimmer because they have wetsuits and I don't. Have to stop being a baby and move forward. I am in heat 5 and am standing there ready to go. I go in the middle of my heat because I am not the stronger swimmer today. I want to cry and run. The gun thing goes off. Am I really running? Why, yes, I am on autopilot and just dove into the water. It's warm and perfect and quiet. I love the water. I feel safe in it and it is crowded and, this sucks... there are too many people here in the middle. Screw drafting... I swim to the outside where I am alone and I get into my rhythm and just swim the way I love too. What? The end? Ok, kick and get my legs going because as soon as I grab sand in my hand I have to stand up and run like fire and get myself on the bike. No more slow transitions for me. Got the sand... I am running as hard as I can up the sand hill into transition. I yell at Patty as I see her leaving w/ her bike. I am short of breath and can't breathe and am shaking-no time to think about that, just get on the bike and clip in without falling... ok, I'm in and away I go.

The roads are typical Wisconsin country roads with bumps and potholes everywhere. Great- standing water puddles. Slow on the turns, no falling allowed. The bike ride was very cautious. Time to dismount- don't fall... I didn't. Great, my feet are numb (were my shoes to tight?) Socks suck to put on when they are wet. Make mental note to consider running w/o socks. Shoes on- grab watch, hat, race number- GO!!! GO!!! Run and get all this junk on. Can't breathe again. Can't feel my feet. Is that my sock bunched up in my shoe? Can't stop- just deal. My legs are lead. Took me 1 1/2 miles before I got feeling to my feet. Yep, sock is bunched and it's going to hurt- just deal. In my rhythm by mile 2 and finally feel great. Bob passes me; he smiles and boosts my spirits. Say Hi to more people I know. Every familiar face is giving me more and more energy and confidence. It's great to be in the ET family. This is fun. It's great to be alive. Did I really not want to do this? Make a mental note to never ever back out of a race again. OOh -ouch -pain- what is this? My side is cramping, I can't run, I have to keep moving. Why does this hurt? 1/2 mile of pain, I belly breathe, burp.. Yeah! It's gone. Air bubble. Make a mental note to learn to hydrate on the bike without taking in air. Joe is passing me. I thank him for not letting me bail out, but he is cruising.

I can hear the announcer and the crowd welcoming the first finishers. I can see the crowd and the finish area... pick up pace. I feel great, tired, yes, but happy. See the finish line and sprint with everything I have left. Try to look decent because the photographer is taking pictures. Smile and run...smile and run. Screw it, I can't do both at the same time. Run through the finish, get my chip off, grab a Gatorade and my people and share in this great day of another great achievement!!

What a crazy weather weekend at Pleasant Prairie. Certainly a great day of mental toughness training. Stay tuned for more stories from this wild and wet weekend! All the fun can be viewed at ET Photo. - Coach Joe

On August 12, 2007 at the Naperville Triathlon ET athlete and webmaster Drew R completes his year long journey toward becoming a swimmer and triathlete. It was an emotional day for Drew and the ET family as we cheered our friend into the water and across the finish line. Congrats Drew!!

Six weeks before the Naperville Sprint Triathlon, I knew I was in trouble. Yessiree, no doubt about it, I was in a pickle. Less than two months to go before my first ever triathlon, and I still couldn't swim in the deep end of the pool. I sank like a stone, and I was helpless to improve. How in the world was I going to finish this triathlon?

Let me back up just a bit. Well, maybe more than a bit. A year, in fact. It had been almost one year to the day since I finally went to Coach Joe and asked him to help me learn to swim. I'd been forced to do some swimming as a Boy Scout more years ago than I care to think about, but I'd never been able to get into water that was over my head. Forget diving - I couldn't even descend a ladder into water I thought might be too deep! The years went by, and I told myself it didn't matter. I just avoided water and didn't think about it, and led a happy, albeit waterpark-free, life.

And then I started hanging around with triathletes. I don't really know why. I honestly thought I was hanging out with runners! Then, they started inviting me on bike rides, and I got a bike and went along, and it was fun. Then they started inviting me to swim, and I made my usual excuses and avoided that, and all was well up to a point. That point being Coach Joe, of course. Now, give my wife credit - she had tried for years to get me into the pool, but she eventually gave up when she saw how totally irrational I got near the water. But after she and I signed on with ExperienceTriathlon (strictly to improve my running and biking!), I met more and more of these triathletes. And they seemed to have so much fun training in three different disciplines. At that point I really started to feel left out, and I began to re-examine my situation. Finally, I went to Coach Joe and asked for his help.

I still remember the first lesson. Coach told me to stick my face in the water and blow bubbles. I think I held my face in the water for all of a half-second or so, expelled all the air in my lungs, jumped up and said "Nope, I don't think so". I should point out that this was in only a few feet of water in the lap pool at Life Time Fitness. Not exactly an auspicious beginning...

Months went by, as Coach Joe walked me through the Total Immersion swim routine. He built up the various part of my swim stroke, not to mention my confidence, bit by bit. He was very patient and always encouraging, and I slowly started putting the bits and pieces together into something that almost vaguely resembled a swimming human, as opposed to a drowning orangutan having a nervous breakdown. I finally reached the point where I could toss the flippers aside and actually swim freestyle from one end of the lap pool to the other. I was almost there! Or, maybe not.

Back to six weeks before the tri, when I was displaying all of the swimming acumen of your average boat anchor, minus the handy winch to drag my sorry butt back out of the depths. What happened? Well, if you've ever raced at all, you probably already know. The demons had me. Those mental demons we all face eventually when we try to push ourselves past our comfort zone. They had me by the neck and were shaking me like a puppy with a new chew toy. Despite all of my work in the lap pool, when I headed down to Centennial Beach for the first time, I was still afraid to go into the deep end! How was I going to complete a triathlon if I couldn't get through the swim route?

This is where the coaches at ET really came through for me in my darkest hour. Coach Steve and Coach Patty, and especially Coach Joe, saw the mental train wreck I was becoming, and they put together a game plan to get me to race day. They got me into that deep end, swimming with me and helping me to gain confidence. Coach Joe spent a full hour with me just showing me the right way to tread water, to float on my back, and other ways to get my wind back in the deep water. I had never realized that I could relax and get some energy back, without automatically sinking to the bottom! That one extra hour with Joe was the turning point in my battle with the demons, but I still had work to do. But with the help of the Monday night coached swim sessions at Centennial, I became much more comfortable swimming with other people in the deep end, getting bumped in the water, and taking the occasional wave in the face without feeling the urge to panic.

Race day was almost anti-climactic, in terms of nerves. I couldn't believe how calm I was approaching the water. Perhaps that group of a dozen or so ET athletes chanting my name at the water's edge had something to do with it? Not one of them was competing in this race (the always popular Pleasant Prairie race was the following weekend), and yet here they were, cheering me on. That was a special moment for me. Embarrassing as hell, yes, but also special. The ET family was out in full force, as usual, showing support to the team members doing the race. Rich K and Jen M were also competing, and also as usual they had spectacular races. And even they managed to cheer me on as I started the run course, and were there at the end to congratulate me on my first triathlon. It seemed like I heard people cheering for me at every stage of the event, and that really helped me to get through it (at one point, I wondered how the heck I could still hear Patty cheering from the far end of the pool, but I did!). As I sprinted for the finish line, I had only two thoughts in my head: 1) don't puke on the girl removing my timing chip, and 2) I am so glad I did this! I am finally one of those triathletes, but even better, I finally faced my demons and won.

Congrats also to ET athletes Rich K and Jen M on a great day and to all the ET friends and group program athletes that we saw smiling across the finish line. Check out the pictures of our fun at ET Photo.

Experience Triathlon's 2007 summer camp started off on Friday evening in the historic downtown square of Baraboo, Wisconsin. Everyone met in front of the courthouse for a 2.5-mile chatty-paced run to shake off the cobwebs from the drive north and work up an appetite for dinner. The run took us past the county fairgrounds and along the Baraboo River, taking in the view of Circus World Museum. Our Friday night was capped off with dinner for 15 at a trendy Baraboo eatery called Little Village Café. After all, the tri life consists of more than just exercise! We shared laughter, good food and drinks and pumped the coaches for some insight on what was in store for us the next morning.

Saturday morning was absolutely beautiful at Devil's Lake State Park (what morning isn't?!?!) We were greeted by cooler temps after the blistering summer heat that had melted us all week. We went through introductions and shared our triathlon experience, our goals, and what motivated us to become triathletes. The response, "So I can eat!" elicited many laughs and confirming head nods!

Coach Joe's run clinic was first on the agenda after intros, culminating with a loop on the Devil's Challenge tri course. We focused on hill running techniques and tips, and Coaches Joe and Steve gave us pointers as we practiced our hill repeats, two-by-two. While we gathered a lot of stares from campers, not one of them joined us or invited us to share the bacon, eggs and coffee they were cooking over an open fire!

After the run, we took a break for some recovery food, drinks and coffee of our own. We listened intently as Coach Greg discussed the purpose of USAT and the rules that govern it. It was a very interactive session and lots of good knowledge was gained about the rules of triathlon.

Next it was time for an open water swim clinic with Coach Steve. We practiced many things, including proper techniques for entering and exiting the water and swimming around buoys. After a few swims along the buoy line, we turned our attention to practicing transition.

The transition clinic began with a wetsuit peeling demonstration by Coach Steve. Those with wetsuits had a chance to practice (or should we say make fools of themselves?!) in front of those without wetsuits. After a lot of laughter and fun, we turned serious as we watched Coaches Steve and Greg demonstrate their transition tips for the group. We all got our moment in the limelight as we took turns practicing transition techniques in front of the group.

After the transition clinic, the beautiful weather started to falter and we knew it was only a matter of time until the rain rolled in. Following a power lunch of sandwiches, fresh fruit, and granola bars, we launched right into a brief cycling clinic and a rainy ride on the Devil's Challenge course. The Coaches shared helpful tips for riding in the rain and hill riding in the bluffs surrounding Devil's Lake. It was great practice learning how to climb and descend hills while keeping your speed under control. Due to the weather, we postponed our bike cleaning and maintenance clinic to the next morning, and the group headed off to get cleaned up before our evening BBQ at Suzy's house.

ET campers were greeted with big smiles, hand-made banners and goody bags made by Suzy's daughters. We enjoyed some Stellas and of course no Wisconsin party is complete without cheese and brats! Everyone came out a winner in Coach Joe's raffle, which featured some great gear and goodies from ET sponsors. It was a wonderful night to get to know each other better, unwind and share stories and experiences from camp and our lives.

Sunday morning began with Coach Joe taking the group through a very informative demonstration of bike cleaning and maintenance and flat tire repair. After the demo, all the Coaches assisted as we practiced changing flats and cleaning our bikes from the previous day's rainy ride. After our bikes were clean and we were all flat-changing experts, it was time for a quick ride in the beautiful farmlands of rural Baraboo.

After a long weekend of activities, camp closed with a big, hearty, Wisconsin style guiltless breakfast of omelets, corned beef hash and pancakes at Log Cabin. Everyone left Baraboo with a full stomach, reflecting on how much we had learned and what a great weekend it was with new friends and fellow athletes! Thank you, Coach Joe, for making it happen!

Check out all the great Camp memories on ET-Photo!!

(Thank you so much, Aleasha and Suzy, for all you did as Camp Coordinators to make the weekend a big success. We could not have done this without you!! - Coach Joe)