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Review: Ironman Boulder Triathlon gets an A Grade

August 2nd, 2015, brought in the second edition of the Ironman Boulder triathlon in Boulder, Colorado. The event hosts nearly 3,000 triathletes over a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride followed by a marathon, a 26.2 mile run.

Many local athletes and athletes from around the United States and some from outside the US flocked to Boulder to race in the pinnacle distance event in the playground of the professionals of the sport. The day proved to be a challenge with a wetsuit optional swim, altitude, wind and rising temperatures in the afternoon. That’s all in addition to the sheer magnitude of tackling a 140.6 mile triathlon.

Your Endurance Sports Examiner was one of the lucky to race and complete the 2015 Ironman Boulder triathlon. From our experience comes our take on the management of the event and review of the course. Read on for the 2015 Ironman Boulder triathlon race review.

Review: The Legends Free State Triathlon gets an A grade

June 7th, 2015, ushered in the inaugural Legends Free State Triathlon at Clinton Lake in Lawrence, KS. The event boasted a sprint distance, olympic distance, half distance and a 100 mile distance triathlon all on the same day at the same location. Historically, this date was reserved for the Ironman Kansas 70.3 race that had been held here for several years, however, that event was discontinued for 2015 and Legends event series stepped in to fill the void.

The past Ironman event has brought in from 2000 to 1200 athletes into Lawrence to spend their time, money and energy at the race. This year, across all event distances, 900 athletes toed the line for the first ever mixed distance triathlon. Also available was an aquabike option across multiple distances for those who aren't into the whole running deal.

How to Eat Like An Olympian: Top Recipes for Making Your Own Gels

What's the best tip to perform like an Olympic Swimmer, Cyclist or Runner? The answer is to eat like an Olympian. In this Episode Joanna and Brandon show you how to eat like an Olympian by sharing their recipe showing you how to make your own nutrition gels.

Joanna Zeiger is a former professional triathlete, Olympian and Ironman 70.3 World Champion. In other words, she's not only crazy fast but she's spent countless hours training and running.

Review: The ASICS 33-M Running Shoe is built to withstand serious punishment

There’s so many ways to go when runners and triathletes are looking for shoes. I’ve tested several makes and models for which many manufacturers produce to address every category came up, and some that have never been thought of until the shoe was made. Not all shoes are the same across a genre, and not all athletes can use just any shoe. Many learn painful lessons that just because a shoe is the latest and greatest and has the highest price tag, it doesn’t mean that’s the magic shoe to end all foot pain and running issues.

CitySports.com  reached out to me to review their latest “natural” ASICS running shoe, the 33-M. The 33-M is built for the natural running experience to lessen interference from the shoe to the body’s running form, assuming it’s a normal pronation and doesn’t need any work per say. With my test pair, I logged nearly 100 miles over six weeks and you can read on for my take from an everyday age grouper on how the 33-M stacks up in the real world.

Review: The ASICS Gel Lyte33 is a good running shoe for shorter workouts

Every triathlete is out there looking for the perfect combination of comfort, affordability, performance, durability and aesthetics when it comes to running shoes. Some have more money to explore the latest and greatest shoes and some have their tried and true $35 pair of specific brands and models that they live and die by.

There are so many choices between minimalists, lightweight, stability, motion control, neutral and a heck of a lot more. The best bet and starting point is to get your feet measured at your local running store and start trying shoes out. If you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket, hit your local chiropractor or sports exercise specialists for some screening and gait analysis to find out your foot structure and what types of shoes would best fit your feet. That would at least arm you with ammunition to start with the right shoe section.

The key is to not go out training for an Ironman in a shoe simply because it's the latest fad or looks cool. A couple of long runs in the wrong shoes could amount to a lengthy setback of physical therapy, rest and recovery or worst case surgery. Not all shoes and styles work for everyone.

That being laid out,  (www.asicsamerica.com) was kind enough to shoot over a pair of Gel Lyte33's that I tried out. After a couple of months on the road, paved trails and treadmills, here's a look from an every day triathlete.

Israman 2015 Race Review

Israman takes place in Eilat, Israel, the furthest southern point in Israel. Located on the Red Sea, it is home to some of the best diving in the world. It is also known for its tax free shopping zone and opportunities to splurge on jewelry and clothing. Eilat is accessible via a quick flight from Tel Aviv’s domestic airport, or by car via two main highways. If you’re considering a winter race, particularly if you’re based in Europe, this is the race to consider. The ten hour flight from Newark to Tel Aviv—and 12 hour return flight—can make an active person stir crazy. Don’t forget compression tights or socks to keep legs on both legs of the flight. The race is on a Friday, which works best for observing the Sabbath from Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset.

Israman Chronicles: Day 7- Tel Aviv and Jaffa

Founded in 1909, Tel Aviv is a modern city of 3.5 million, roughly half of Israel’s population. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it sports modern architecture and a lively youthful atmosphere. New residential and commercial towers are being constructed everywhere, and gentrification of neighborhoods are making the cost of living exorbitant. Much of the growth is fueled by immigrants who continue to pour in from Russia, Europe and the U.S.

Israman Chronicles: Day 6- Eilat to Tel Aviv

This morning I woke and took a jog to the border of Jordan.  Its port city, Aqaba, is adjacent to Eilat and serves as a vacation sport for Jordanians and other mid-Eastern countries.  Just south of Aqaba is Saudi Arabia.  Let’s just say the Jordanian border crossing didn’t look too welcoming, so I turned around and headed towards Egypt.  Where in the world can you say that but in Eilat?  At the main beach, the city was hosting an endurance swimming event.  While there probably weren’t many Israman athletes participating, there were several hundred swimmers. 

Israman Chronicles: Day 4 Eilat, Israel

Eilat is Israel’s southernmost city located on the north tip of the Red Sea on the Bay of Aqaba.  Most tourists know Eilat (population 48,000) as the starting point for tours to Petra, Jordan, which is only a two hour drive.  Eilat is a popular beach vacation destination for Israelis and Europeans who come here for its excellent scuba diving, duty free shopping, fantastic weather and resorts.  From Eilat you won’t need binoculars to see its sister city Aqaba, Jordan, and the border with Egypt. 

Our day started early with a tour of Timna Recreation Park, about 20 miles north of Eilat.  Timna Park is rich in copper and has been mined since the 5th century BC.  The valley contains places of ancient Egyptian worship.  Timna Valley is notable for its uncommon stone formations, and looks very similar to Moab, Utah.  Original Egyptian hieroglyphs can be seen on Solomon’s Pillars.  The park is ideal for camping, mountain biking and hiking. We hiked up to an arch and back down the slot canyon on the other side.  Visitors should not expect the same awesome beauty of Arches, Canyonlands or Bryce—nor the number of formations-- but it is definitely worth a stop. 

Candel and Mazin Win Israman Eilat 226K Iron Distance Triathlon

The weather was perfect for this year’s Israman Triathlon in Eilat, an Israeli resort town on the Red Sea.  Bart Candel, 25, of the Netherlands stole the show and the 1st place finish in the January 30, 2015 Israman Eilat 226 Kilometer Triathlon.  Candel finished in 9:42:24, more than 33 minutes faster than defending two time champion, Petr Vabrousek (CZE), 42, who was ill with fever and finished in 10:51:31.  Candel finished second to Vabrousek in 2013, but had the ride of his life today finishing the bike segment in 6:42:53.  Israman arguably has the most difficult iron-distance bike course on the triathlon circuit. 

Italians Triumph at 2015 Israman Half Iron Distance Triathlon

The grueling 1,895 meter climb through the The Eilat Mountains didn’t slow Italians Mossimo Cigana and Martina Dogana at the 2015 Israman Negev triathlon today. 

Cigana, a former pro cyclist turned triathlete, finished the race in 4:33:20, followed by Edo van der Meer (NED) finishing in 4:38:55 and Dimitry Grabovsky (ISR) in 4:41:39. 

Cigana, 41, said the course was “very tough.”  He smashed the bike event in 3 hours 10 minutes.  Van der Meer, 31 commented at this finish, “no segment was tougher than the other.”  After a strong swim of 23:54, Van Der Meer couldn’t keep up with Cigana on the bike, falling six minutes behind on the segment. 

Pro Triathletes Descend on Eilat

Eilat, Israel-- January 28, 2015

The atmosphere was light-hearted and the mood relaxed at the Israman Negev press conference held this afternoon at the Eilat Royal Garden Hotel.  Race organizers and professional athletes alike were confident in their preparation and training for the full- and- half ironman-distance triathlon to be held on January 30th in this resort community on the northern tip of the Red Sea.  Arguably the most difficult long-distance triathlon on the planet, the athletes seemed well-trained for the “brutal” 10,000 feet of climbing and steep descent on the marathon course. 

Race Director, Boaz Ribak, called the 2015 race the largest Israman to date with 1,400 registered participants. In addition to the half and full distances (226 and 113 kilometers, respectively), the event added an option for relay teams.  Another breakthrough includes the number of registered female participants- 450 this year, greatly exceeding expectations.

Israman Chronicles: Day 3- Dead Sea, Masada and Eilat

Israman Chronicles: Day 3- Dead Sea, Masada and Eilat

We left Jerusalem for an hours drive to the northern end of the Dead Sea, which lies 417 meters below sea level. The Sea is 45 KM long and 14 KM wide at its widest point. It is also the saltiest body of water on Earth, which is why it is called “the Dead”-- no organisms live in its waters.  The rich mineral content of the water makes skin and beauty products highly prized both within Israel and abroad.  Upon our arrival at about 9:00 am, the public access beach was closed; but Benni and Jiri pulled some strings with the manager and snuck us in for a quick dip.  They warned us that the water was cold at 75 F; it is normally well into the 90s.  After stumbling awkwardly over the gravel, rocks and mud we floated effortlessly in the water for about 20 minutes before high-tailing it back onto the highway to Masada.  Even Erin managed to float without a problem…that’s a lot of salt.

Israman Chronicles: Day 2- Old City of Jerusalem

This morning we met our guide, Benni Dagan, who would spend the next five days with us in Eilat and Tel Aviv.  Benni is a fit gentleman who speak s perfect English and has traveled to the U.S. at least a dozen times.  His favorite visit to U.S. was touring the West and Canada on a Harley Davidson motorcycle.  A lawyer by training, Benni has been guiding scores of people through Israel for the last 30 years.  I fondly nicknamed him “mountain goat,” as we could barely keep up with him on the steep steps and narrow passageways in Jerusalem.  Photo journalist Larry Rose immediately recognized Benni at breakfast; he guided PBS’ Rick Steves on his tour of Israel and Palestine.  Our courageous driver is Jiri, who will take us south to Eilat after a stopover at the Dead Sea and Masada tomorrow. 

Israman Chronicals: Day 1- Denver to Jerusalem

Israman Chronicals: Day I- Denver to Jerusalem

Most triathletes would say that training and completing their first long-distance triathlon is a life-changing experience.  Now, combine triathlon with a visit to the Holy Land and your experience just might be transformational. I arrived in Tel Aviv this morning after a ten hour, uneventful flight from Newark.  You see, EverymanTri is a lucky guest of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism to participate in Israman-- Israel’s iron-distance triathlon—and to share our experience with you.

 Israman, located in Eilat on north tip of the Red Sea (see red circle in the image at left), was named one of Triathlon magazine’s top 10 races.  The inaugural race took place in 1999 with only 26 brave souls at the starting line. This year the race is on Friday, January 30th.  Israman also holds the distinction of being one of the most difficult bike courses of any triathlon. 

Review: Clif Builder’s Protein Bars are not just for Body Buiders but also Endurance Athelets

If you pay attention to your Facebook or Twitter feed, you undoubtedly see all kinds of add and posts about the need for high levels of protein in your diet. Whether you’re a weekend 5ker, Ironman, cross fitter or obstacle course racer, every fitness related food maker and their dog are racing to get their latest and greatest protein products in your hands.

If you’re at all interested in eating better to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of eating the right combination of fats, carbs and protein. It’s not just about the protein. It’s a delicate dance of factors from desired weight to expected race performance. If you’re not fueling the engine right with more than just protein, it doesn’t matter how many hours you train to reach your goals.