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By Andrew, December 7, 2009

A common practice for triathletes that experience a ‘real winter’ is to retreat indoors and put in monotonous miles on the trainer.  The trainer/rollers can be ok if you have some intensity to do, but when the coach puts ‘’3hrs aerobic ride’’ on the schedule then the trainer is no place for this.  This winter get yourself a cyclo-cross ride and learn something new that will not only make winter riding enjoyable, but also bring you gains in many aspects of cycling.

Cyclo-cross is a cross between road and mountain riding.  Everything from the geometry and tires, to brake and BB clearance; the cross-bike offers a mix of both mountain and road styles.  Cross bikes can handle everything from dirt commuter paths to some fairly aggressive, rugged single-track adventures.

Having just got in the door from my first cross ride this winter here in Canada I am full of reasons to get you on a cross bike this winter.

With cross riding perhaps the biggest area of improvement for most will be in handling skills.  Having to maneuver the bike under your body laterally and fore/aft to pick lines through trails will result in proprioception improvements.  Your spatial awareness of your bike and body will also be improved as you encounter tight passages and corners.  When you come to fallen trees or other impeding objects you’ll be forced to dismount, jump over and then do a running remount.  This is perfect practice for improving your transition splits!

Riding on trails will force you to think and look further ahead than on the road.  You will have to anticipate your next shift to the small ring and be careful of what gear you are in coming into that hairpin to uphill corner.  I often find myself totally zoned out on the road in the wrong gear.  While cross riding however, I cannot afford to do that or I’ll find myself coming to a halt on an unexpected hill and tumbling down a steep embankment.  Your ability to know how and when to brake will improve.  Braking earlier and not during cornering is required in cross riding to allow you to make it up that next ensuing, steep hill!

Your pedal stroke will become smoother.  Yes, it most definitely will become smoother.  When you climb on trails or worse, moss covered rocks the slightest hitch or chop to your pedal stroke will become apparent often causing you to lose traction and resulting power.  With time you will learn how to properly pull on the pedals while climbing.  As you become a smoother climber you will discover and utilize more muscle groups than ever on the bike.

On the trails you will often face very steep, but short climbs.  Short maximum bursts of power will now be thrown into your aerobic rides improving your cycling specific strength and short-range power.

By riding in sheltered trails at reduced speeds you will stay as warm as indoors minus all the sweaty clean up.

With improved handling, technical abilities, pedal stroke and power you will become a well-rounded cyclist.  Not only will this result in a better bike split, but you will also gain some much deserved respect from the cycling community.

Ride on!

Andrew Russell

http://andyrussell.blogspot.com/

Checkmate Team Member

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By Rory, December 5, 2009

Thanks to Andrew Russell for this. When is the team going? Stay tuned.

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By ben, November 30, 2009

The ITU has stated that all World Championship Series and World Cup races will be broadcast live in 2010. This is exciting news for the sport, and even more exciting for you, the fans! Check out the promo video for the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series.

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By Rory, November 26, 2009

Clearwater – 28^th MPRO November 14, 2009

Russell doubles the distance with Clearwater 70.3 World Champs

With the completion of thirty-three Ironman 70.3 races hosted worldwide in 2009, the qualification spots had all been filled and the World Championship at the 70.3 distance was set to begin.  Clearwater, Florida has hosted the 70.3 WC since 2006, and with each successive year the field of professionals has become deeper.

In 2009 sixty-five professional men anxiously crept forward, anticipating the canon to strike the beginning of what would be a world record day.  High winds and ocean chop had caused the swim portion of the race to be moved to the inner Clearwater harbor.  With now flat, and shallow water, the 1.9km swim set the tone for a very fast day when Marko Albert exited the water first in 21:35.  Russell found himself right up in the mix exiting in 7^th position just ahead of eventual race winner Michael Raelert.

Quickly on to the bike the early pace was strong.  For Russell this race marked the end of a somewhat roller coaster season.  Coming from an ITU racing background it also was a race where he could see where he fell in comparison to the worlds best 70.3 athletes.  Taking a relaxed and carefree approach to the race Russell felt he would have a go on the bike and stay in contention for as long as he could.  Riding relaxed and focused at the task at hand Russell rode with the front group of athletes until the 80k mark of the 90k bike.  At this point the pace become simply to high, and Russell rode the remaining 10k at a more controlled effort.  With flat roads and calm winds the bike splits were blazing at just under 2 hours!

Coming out of T2 Russell sat in 20^th position, less than 2 minutes of f the leaders.   Starting the run relatively conservatively Russell moved up into as high as 17^th position before having several second group athletes move past him on the second loop of the course.  In the closing stages of the run Russell eyed the reigning 70.3 World Champion, Terenzo Bozzone, laboring over the last miles of the run.  Rolling back the eyes and digging deep Russell made the pass and crossed the line in 28^th position just behind legend Greg Bennett.

As mentioned, German dark horse Michael Raelert ran a 1:09 half marathon to take the win convincingly in 3:34.  Julie Diebens of Great Britian took the women’s title finishing as the first women to ever break the four-hour barrier in 3:59.

With the season now officially over, Russell will enjoy a few weeks of downtime with some Whistler skiing and visiting of friends and family. As always, stay tuned to http://andyrussell.blogspot.com for updates.

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By Rory, November 14, 2009

Collins Takes an Impressive Seventh in Sweltering Conditions at Huatulco World Cup

Huatulco, Mexico – November 8, 2009

The 2009 Huatulco World Cup was the hottest race of the year for the International Triathlon Union. With a water temperature of 84 degrees, and air temperatures over 100 degrees with high humidity, the athletes were certainly faced with extreme conditions.

From the gun two Americans lead the swim. Dustin McClarty and Ben Collins were first and third out onto the bike with the rest of the 50 man field on their heels. The athletes were tentative due to the weather, and without anyone willing to take the lead for the rest of the group, the entire field came together quickly.

Each lap of the eight-lap bike course featured a large hill that reached 18% grade and took the competitors about 80 seconds to summit. Collins rode towards the front of the group but stayed conservative, following the lead of Olympian Jarrod Shoemaker. On the fourth lap when Matt Chrabot attacked up the hill, the rest of the field let him go, thinking he was setting the stage for his own demise. Over the remaining four bike laps, Charbot’s lead continued to grow over a lone chaser and the main pack, which whittled down to ten athletes.

The shattered main pack started the run together, and Collins found himself in a dog fight over the hilly four lap run. The athletes poured water over their heads, trying to stay cool while putting in surge after surge. As the group thinned Collins found himself running for fifth with two other athletes, Francisco Serrano (Mexico) and Ivan Tutukin (Russia). The final sprint found him in seventh place, just four seconds behind 5^th and 47 seconds off the podium.

Collins more than achieved his top-10 goal for the race, and this result earned him a slot on USA Triathlon’s “Team 2012” focused on developing athletes for the London Olympics. Huatulco marked only his second World Cup Triathlon, and a seventh place finish proves his phenomenal improvement on the international scene. With a new level of running ability and confidence, Collins is looking forward to fighting for podium places in 2010.

Thank you for your support, allowing Ben Collins the opportunity to compete at such a high level. Please visit bencollins.org for a tentative 2010 schedule, 2009 results, a more in depth account of Huatulco, and other fun triathlon reading material.

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By ben, November 1, 2009

With the World Championships Series released, as well as the dates and location of the 2010 Canadian Nationals, US Nationals, and the Pan-American Championships, Checkmate’s 2010 schedule is taking shape. The races on our schedule are the biggest ITU races in North America, and the most important races for Olympic qualification of our athletes.

Checkmate is pleased to announce the addition of Andrew Russell to our roster. Andrew has been a strong individual competitor in Canada for several years, and has just been added to Canada’s National Support Team for the World Championship Series. Andrew is a powerful triathlete with a promising future, and we are proud that Checkmate Triathlon Team will have a chance to help him reach the start line at the London 2012 Olympics.

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By ben, October 7, 2009

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) is a bit delinquent in releasing the 2010 World Championship Series (WCS) schedule, but we wanted to get a list of probably races on here. Because most of our athletes will be competing for their country at the WCS races, our team calendar is highly tentative until we the ITU schedule is released.

This video recap of the 2009 WCS is sure to get you excited for next year.

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By ben, September 28, 2009

It’s taken us some time to find the right words to describe the goals and purpose of this team, but after several iterations, we now have a mission statement and long term goals of the team under the “about” section.

Our Mission is to embody the Olympic Spirit – with friendship, solidarity and fair play, become the best triathlon team in the world.

Our goals are to work as a team to help each of our athletes realize their Olympic dream, and to become a model for the power and potential of teamwork in sport.

In achieving these goals we will become ambassadors for both our sponsors and the sport, and create media exposure previously unseen in the sport of triathlon.

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By ben, September 23, 2009

The team is in discussions with potential Title sponsors for 2010 and beyond, but no deal is signed as of yet.

The Checkmate Triathlon Team consists of 8 riders representing the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  The team’s accomplishments include an Olympian, a World Champion, and podium finishes at the US Collegiate National Championships, and the Canadian National Championships.
We are looking forward to securing a new partner for the 2010 season that can benefit from and build their brand by being associated with our world class organization.  We are confident a sponsor will capitalize on the value Checkmate Triathlon Team generates through our fans, seven-figure annual measurable media exposure, 1 million annual onsite spectators and the charitable work our team does in the communities we race in.

In addition to winning races, Checkmate Triathlon Team has emphasized giving back to the communities they race in.  The team goes to schools to speak to students and educate them on the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle, sharing their own stories and spreading their passion for triathlon.

Contact us to help change the face of triathlon.