Playtri Coach Jim

A happy to Marlie, Kaleigh, Ethan, and Rod! Solid racing this weekend by some really great human beings.

What’s the one ingredient every high performance and amateur athlete should have in their training and racing? FUN!
And I had a lot of fun this morning racing the Spearfish Canyon Half Marathon! Cool start, very hot and sunny finish. Beautiful course, all downhill (3 ft total ascent, 1266 ft total descent), and a fundraiser for a great cause! Just missed a new 13.1 PR by about a minute. I don’t know if I’ll race again this year because of coaching commitments and everything my daughters have going on, but it was great to lace up the dance shoes again and have a go.

It's race weekend! Good luck to Ethan, Rod, Kaleigh, and Marlie. Tailwinds the whole way!

Here are 7 things you can do now to descend faster on your bike.
1. Practice your bike handling and cornering on the flats regularly. Do slalom, single handed riding, and go around parking lot berms. Build up speed as you gain confidence. In the drops for a road bike, in the aero and on the bullhorns for a tri bike.
2. Practice your descending skills one skill at a time on familiar roads. Relaxed upper body, smoother lines, looking further ahead, smoother braking, etc.
3. Scan the road ahead for hazards and look at where you want to go. If you fix your eyes on that pothole, you know what will happen? You’ll hit that pothole. Your bike will follow your eyes.
4. Relax your upper body and jaw. Back straight and shoulders relaxed, jaw loose, hands on the brakes. Feeling tense? Start humming or singing.
5. Brake before the corner. If you brake while leaning your bike, you lose traction and are more likely to tip over.
6. Choose a smooth line. Smooth descenders follow a similar line: outside-inside-outside. Start wide, aim toward the apex, drift toward the outside again. Stay within your lane and watch for oncoming traffic.
7. Keep your weight balanced on the bike. As your speed increases, proper weight distribution becomes even more important. Proper weight distribution will allow you to lean your bike into turns more confidently. For added security on straight descents, you can grip your top tube with your knees.

6th overall for Owen ♿︎ in Chile today! Fastest combined transition time and 3rd fastest run. Really great showing for his first international race!

Good luck to Owen this Sunday! He's racing his first international race in Chile. It's an absolute privilege to coach this young man.

.tri.elite

Here are 5 things you can do now to climb faster on your bike.
1. Choose the right gear ratios. Even the best climbers in the world aren’t mashing the gears at a really low cadence going up hill. Neither should you! Choose a compact or semi-compact front chainring up front and have at least a 30 tooth large sprocket in the back.
2. Pacing is key. Keep an eye on your 3 second average power, cadence, and heart rate. Try to maintain even power, cadence, and heart rate throughout the entire climb especially if you are new to hill climbing or if it’s a long climb. As you gain confidence you can begin to play around with your effort in training.
3. Race specific hill repeats. Does your race have long climbs? Work on improving your FTP and endurance at 85+ rpm. Does your race have short, punchy (8% or higher grades) climbs? Work on improving your Vo2 Max and Sprinting.
4. Don’t have hills? Ride the flats and into the headwinds at your threshold pace. This is similar to the type of power you need for hill climbs.
5. Relax into the climb. Keep your back straight and your shoulders back to open your diaphragm.

Good luck to these amazing athletes that I have the privilege of coaching!

TRIATHLETES — IT'S MINI CAMP SEASON!

Whether you're chasing your first tri or grinding toward an Ironman, our Mini Camps are built to make you a stronger, smarter athlete — together with the DFW tri community.

📍 North Lakes Park, Denton, TX | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
🗓️ Sat, July 25 — Bike handling + 2hr ride w/ brick run + heat adaptation lecture

🗓️ Sat, Aug 22 — Bike handling + 2.5hr ride w/ brick run + nutrition & hydration hacks

🗓️ Sat, Sept 19 — Bottle hand-ups + 3hr ride w/ brick run + aid station strategy like a pro

Each camp pairs hands-on bike skills with a brick run and a coach-led lecture from yours truly! — real race-day prep, not just miles.

Cost is $15 Playtri Coached Athletes | $20 Drop-In Athletes

Spots fill up — register at https://www.playtri.com/mini-camps

Questions? Send me a DM!