By: Brian Reynolds Every triathlete should know that a Triathlon is not only physically demanding on the body but is also mentally demanding. Our body will only go as hard as our mind will allow. If our mind doesn’t want to push the pace then our body will not push the pace. Our mind and body are one which means it’s imperative to work on your mental game in training since it can have a big performance impact on race day. Let me share a quick story with you about one of my 5 hour rides I did this summer. The long ride was supposed to be a steady zone 2 aerobic effort on a warm Saturday morning. I felt ok
By: Belinda Vinton One of my biggest struggles as a working, single mom is finding the time to fit in my workouts. Over the years I have come to find that the best time for me is the early morning hours. This was not something that came easy to me, but over time I have learned to appreciate my early morning workouts. Getting that workout in early means that I have the rest of the day to accomplish all of my other duties. I don’t have a workout hanging over my head. I don’t have to worry about whether or not I will be too tired in the evening. I can eat and drink without having to check the clock. I
By: Michelle Dalton As summer progresses and more people start to venture out of their houses, especially after being locked up for so long, I see more people out and about on their bikes. And that’s great to see, both from enjoying the summer perspective but also from a healthy one! However, every year I am shocked to see the vast majority of people not wearing helmets. When I started learning to ride, many, many years ago unfortunately, helmets just weren’t a thing. Then in 1990, Australia came out with a law that said you had to wear a helmet while riding your bike. Anyone. not just ‘proper’ cyclists but any person who swung their leg over their bike had
By: Christina Vipond It still seems surreal to me that I am a sponsored athlete for the first time in my life at the age of 48. When I tell family or friends, the response is usually something like, “I’m not surprised, you have always been athletic”. I respond by saying “but now I’m an athlete!” This is usually followed with a look that says “what’s the difference?” Great question, what is the difference? Do the definitions give a simple answer? Athletic is an adjective meaning physically strong, fit and active. Athlete is a noun meaning a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Not really an answer there. I played softball in high school. As
Submitted by: Dawn Hinz Team Athletic Mentors/Greenware is proud of all of our Sponsors for stepping up and adjusting to the dynamic changes of this year. We thoroughly appreciate the support we have received from them. It enables us to encourage healthy living; albeit from a distance this year. In past years, Team Athletic Mentors gave back to the community by volunteering at multiple events including Team Athletic Mentors Greenware’s Youth Programs. Along with Greenware’s willingness to give back to the community, they stepped forward during this critical time to create Personal Protective Equipment to keep people safe and healthy amidst the COVID Crisis.Fabri-Kal is a local company that was incorporated in 1950 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, when they purchased the Kalamazoo Paper
By Brian Reynolds A question I get asked often by triathletes is “what is the fastest wetsuit”? I usually just shrug my shoulders and say “you just have to try out different wetsuits to find the fastest one”. It’s not the answer most people want to hear but it’s true especially based on a wetsuit test I did this year. The wetsuit test I did was 5x 100 at race pace effort with about 10-15 seconds rest. This test set needs to be done in a pool to ensure an accurate/repeatable distance. You need to wear a different wetsuit per each 5x 100 set to determine which wetsuit is the fastest. Ideally you should only test 2 to 3 wetsuits
Athletic Mentors