–By Brian Reynolds, Team Athletic Mentors Triathlete

On September 11, 2016 I raced Ironman Wisconsin.  My goal was to place high enough in my age-group in order to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.   The weather in Madison, Wisconsin could not have been more perfect for racing.  It was sunny and dry with the high temps only in the mid 70’s.  The only concern was getting sunburned, which I did unfortunately.  The race had over 2,400 participants and thousands of spectaculars swarming the transition and swim start areas.

The race officials started letting the athletes in the water 15-20 minutes before the start of the race.  The swim was a one 2.4 mile loop in Lake Monona.  The race was a mass start meaning all swimmers started in the water at the same time.  These mass swim starts are not as common anymore since Ironman has been going to a rolling start for safety reasons.  However, the mass start was not as crowded as I originally thought because the start line was very long.  As we waited in the water for the cannon to go off the atmosphere was electric!  The athletes were getting either very excited or anxious.  The athletes around me were aiming for under a one hour swim which was my goal as well.  

The cannon goes off!  I started at a strong pace to keep up with the swimmers that went out fast.  There was a lot of pushing and hitting the first half mile.  However, I’m use to some pushing and hitting in the water since I’ve been doing triathlons for 5 years.  When I passed the mile marker I started to pass a lot of fatigued swimmers because most of them started out too fast.  I felt strong the second half of the swim as I kept picking off swimmers one by one.  When I exited the water my swim split was a 58:20!   There were fans lined up around the helix yelling and cheering which really got me pumped up and excited.  I felt great through transition and I passed at least 3 athletes through the bike transition area.

 My goal was to complete the bike course in 5 hours and 15 minutes.  The bike leg was challenging since the course was very hilly and is considered one of the hardest courses in the Ironman circuit.  The best way to describe the course was like a roller coaster ride.  There were over a 100 short steep hills that would slowly fatigue you.  There was one extremely challenging hill at mile 40 that was so steep that a lot of riders had to walk their bikes up the hill.  I was able to ride up the hill but I had to burn a lot of energy doing it.  

The best strategy for riding this course was to start conservative to ensure that you didn’t over fatigue the first half.  However, I went out a little too hard the first half and paid for it the second half.  The last 2.5 hours of the ride was really challenging as my power slowly declined.  I tried to remain positive during this tough section and reminded myself that once I got to the run that I would be fine.  The spectators on the bike course were fantastic!  There were several uphill sections with people lined up cheering for you.  Some sections felt like a mountain stage in the Tour de France.  The crowd support motivated me to keep pushing through the pain. I ended up finishing the bike leg in 5 hours and 26 minutes which was 20.6 mph average.

As I entered the run transition with tired legs I handed my bike to the volunteers and I ran into a building to pick up my run gear.  I had to take a quick bathroom break before I started the marathon.  I was moving very well the first 6 miles of the run because I was averaging 6:20s pace.  My goal for the marathon was 3 hours so I was well under pace so far.  Even though I was moving well I wasn’t feeling good.  My stomach was very bloated from taking in a lot of nutrition on the bike.  I was not able to take in hardly any nutrition on the run because my stomach was so upset.

After the 6 mile mark it was a struggle both mentally and physically to keep running.  My pace the next several miles gradually slowed down to a 7:10-7:30 pace towards the end of the race.  During this tough stretch I started to respect the Ironman marathon distance.  It was very different from a regular marathon where you would start out fresh.  The pain I normally experience at mile 18 in a regular marathon was what I experienced at mile 6 of the Ironman marathon.  I had to walk through some aid stations to take a mental break but I managed to grind out a 3 hour and 8 minute marathon split.

As I made my way down the finishing stretch I was greeted by all my friends and family at the finish line.  I put in a final surge and ran across the finish line in 9 hours, 41 minutes, and 21 seconds.  After finishing I was absolutely exhausted.  I had to sit and lay down most of the day to help recover.  I was very fortunate to have my friends there to support me on my special day.  However, I wish I was able to celebrate more with my friends.  Instead they had to keep an eye on me and help me around to ensure I was ok.  I couldn’t thank them enough!

The next day was the Kona slot allocation and rolldown ceremonies.  My results got me a 4th place finish in my age group and 9th place overall.  It was going to be a long slot to qualify for Kona considering they announced only the top 2 athletes in my age group will be taken.  The only hope I had was the first 2 athletes not accepting an invite so it would roll down to the 3rd and 4th places.  I was not luckily because the first 2 athletes took the Kona invites.  I was disappointed that I did not go to Kona but I was still happy with my effort.  I could not have done anything more to change the results that day.  This was my first Ironman so I’m feeling very optimistic of qualifying for Kona someday.  There is no doubt that finishing an Ironman is an accomplishment in itself.   So I am proud to say that I’M AN IRONMAN!

The post I’M AN IRONMAN appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

–By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM NOW Cyclist

There were 5,000 race stories that unfolded on Saturday, November 5^th at Iceman Cometh Challenge. I wanted to share my story as it was an awesome opportunity to race with some of the best in the world and the outpouring of enthusiasm and support has been amazing. Last year I took fifth at Iceman, making it all the way to Timber Ridge with the leaders but had nothing left after pulling way too much throughout the race. This year I knew what to expect and I had every intention of racing for the win.

Michigan native and pro road racer Allie Dragoo started right next to me!

It was a strong field as always including Catharine Pendrel- bronze medalist at Rio Olympics this year and former World Champion, Chloe Woodruff- 2016 Olympian and multiple-time National Champ, Erin Huck- 2016 National Champ, Amy Beisel- 2016 Fat Bike World Champ, and many talented roadies. I was also joined by some local superstars- Mackenzie Woodring and Susan Vigland.

Our race was the very last of the day to take off and it was fast from the gun with a super short roll out before the single track this year. I actually had a great start (this never happens) and was perfectly positioned around sixth wheel heading into the trail. It was a bit sketchy with riders changing lines unpredictably and sliding in the sand but my mission for the first half was to be patient and stay out of trouble. But less than ten minutes in, another rider merged right into me trying to jump into another line without looking behind her. I thought my race was over at that moment, but I somehow managed to stay upright. However, her and a couple riders behind us were not so lucky and this ended up to be one of the first decisive splits. Several riders including Catharine and Susan circumnavigated the crash and chased back on to create a group of nine.

I calmed down near the end of the line and closed the gaps that would open between riders after each single track section due to both accordion effect and talent differential (the mountain bike pros are basically ninjas). However, one of the more jarring descents I let a bit too wide of a gap open and I saw a group of four- Catharine, Amy, Erin, and Chloe start to ride away with Susan and Mackenzie falling off. I gunned it up “Make it Stick,” a steep multi- tiered climb, tagging onto the top group just as Erin stopped for a dropped chain.  And just like that, it was down to four.

Flow states during races are pretty incredible, when you are totally in the moment and aware of everything going on and so focused that emotions don’t impede judgement. I knew I just needed to beat one of them to get on the podium but I still felt fresh and I felt I might just be able to pull off an upset.

I wasn’t perceived as a threat so wasn’t really included in the pace line which was odd but totally fine by me. Just before Williamsburg Road Erin caught us but she dropped her chain again up the next steep climb. I felt bad for her because she was riding really well but her chain dropped nearly every climb forcing her off her bike.

The four of us hit Williamsburg Road (about 10 miles to go) and I made a huge mistake by bobbling and dropping my bottle hand-off and with temperatures in the mid-60s, I really needed it.  I refused to let my race be ruined and was resolved to get a bottle from someone.  We flew by the Rock too fast for this to be an option but a guy was watching alone on the VASA during a slower climbing section and graciously gave me his bottle (thank you, mystery man!)

The games had begun as our pace slowed as everyone tried to recover for the final showdown. We quickly approached “The Boonenberg,” one of the longer climbs on the VASA about six miles from the finish that I had picked out as a potential spot to attack. The whole thing felt a bit surreal but I knew I had to at least give it my best shot.

I carried a bit more momentum over the previous descent to slingshot around and rode as hard as I could and didn’t look back. (According to Strava, I clocked the 5^th fastest time of the day up that climb including all the men). I kept drilling it and eventually checked to see only Chloe behind me. She was there but appeared to be dangling so I kept hammering. We crested Anita’s Hill together and I attacked again, knowing just how fast I could rail the corners on the VASA sections from countless Thursday night “Speed of Light” races on the VASA 25k when we lived in Traverse City (thanks Cody Sovis!)

I knew I might be setting her up for another win but I also thought I was very close to riding away and if nothing else, second was pretty awesome. Turns out, she had one more match left and she dropped it on me leading up to Woodchip Hill about a mile to the finish. The crowd was absolutely insane and I felt like I was racing in Europe but the effort from my extended attack had caught up with me and Chloe’s gap was established.

Photo credit: Jody Hofstra

I switched to damage control mode to try and not make mistakes on the single track in Timber Ridge with everyone watching.  I caught a glimpse of her up the final climb before the spectators nearly engulfed me but I realized she wasn’t coming back.  As I wove through the final curves while trying not to tie up, I crashed on one of the loose gravel corners (falling in the stadium in front of everyone is everyone’s fear) but thankfully it was only flesh wounds and I had enough of a gap that I didn’t lose a spot. I willed my body back on my bike and claimed my first podium in my third Iceman race.

Soon after Amy and Catherine finished and Catherine gave me kudos for a “perfectly timed attack.” Hearing that compliment from a previous World Champion totally made my day.  Chloe was also extremely complimentary. The next hour was a bit of a blur of interviews and hugs and I basically felt like a rock star.

Alex finished 11^th in a ridiculously fast men’s race, cementing our dominance in the “fastest couple” competition (this should be a real thing).

Overall it was one of the coolest experiences and I’m still totally floored by all the support. Traverse City truly has an incredible cycling community, puts on a world class race, and has a lot of fun doing it.  Thanks to Team OAM NOW/ Athletic Mentors, Alex Vanias my moral and mechanical support, my family, and Steve Brown- Mr. Iceman himself!

Photo credit: Corky Abston

The post How it All Went Down- An Iceman Cometh Race Recap appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

–By Collin Snyder, Team OAM NOW Cyclist

This weekend, the most prestigious race in Michigan went down. You may be asking yourself, what could be bigger than the upcoming Iceman Cometh? Well the answer is, the 12th annual Poto Single Speed World Championships or PSSWC2016 for short. This race (it’s officially not a race –Ed.) is only open to the most dedicated of racers (people who have a Facebook account or heard about it some other way, and happen to have a single speed mountain bike –Ed). The event is held each year on the last Saturday of October at the Potawatomi trail in Pickney Michigan and draws thousands (closer to 75-100 riders –Ed.).

In the past two years participating in this race (it’s not officially a race –Ed.) I’ve earned the title of “Poto Single Speed World Champion!” twice. Based upon my past performances, Giant created a special edition rainbow world championship XTC+ complete with a ROY-G-BiV color scheme for this year’s ride arriving just days before the big day (no they didn’t, he just happen to have a bunch of miss matching parts in his stock pile that happen to complete the hideous ROY-G-BiV rainbow color scheme -Ed ) (Okay you’re right –Collin).

On the line, there were a few grand contenders, Todd Ace, Stephen Cain, and a few dark horses thrown in. The race started in a hurry. I did my best CX style start and was screaming down the opening dirt road at 150 rpm. Right before the trail head, Cain jumped around me to get first tracks. The pace was heavy, and an elite group quickly formed with myself, Todd Ace, and Jon Robul in tow. A few miles into the trail, I was feeling feisty, and made a pass around Stephen for the lead. I put a good dig in and a small gap quickly followed.

Although early, I thought this might be it as the gap increased. That’s when tragedy struck. My seat post slipped! My mechanic is fired. (Collin is his own mechanic. He didn’t use a torque wrench –Ed).  With my seat about 3 inches lower than the ideal position, I couldn’t keep a high cadence in the saddle and had to stand up pretty much the whole time. The gap quickly shrank, and Todd Ace made it back on my wheel and put a flyer in shortly thereafter. He kept me honest up the hills, putting in a bit more effort than I would have done solo. After a hand full of miles of not shaking me, he allowed me to lead at the first road crossing. I kept the pace up, flying down the sketchy stair step descents. Ace being a great descender wasn’t fazed. On the following uphill, I took a line right over a big root which required me to do a bunny hop over it. Ace didn’t and smacked his front wheel hard. The next thing I hear is disappointment in his voice as he had cracked his China-made carbon wheel and slashed his tire.

My hopes of a solo victory returned. I put it in tempo mode and was thinking of a 2015 Peter Sagan World Championship style win. However, with very little sitting, those dreams fizzled as my legs faded.  Up a steep sandy climb, I peer back to see Stephen closing in hot. When he eventually caught me, he didn’t even take the time to rest on my wheel and went right around. With less than a third of the race (it’s not a race, it’s a spirted ride –Ed.)  to go, it looked like if I had any chance of pulling off the three-peat, I had to hold Cane’s wheel. He was running a bit easier gear than me and he knew it, so he put hard digs up every climb, putting the screws on me. In the closing mile of the trail, his home court advantage was showing. He was taking lines that were completely foreign to me, and was getting an ever slight advantage at every rock garden. When we get to the final quarter mile stretch of dirt road before the last bit of single track, Stephen had a good 4 bike length gap on me. I dug deep, seeing a heart rate I haven’t seen in some time and closed the gap right before the final 100 feet of single track.

That’s when I made my winning move. I know what you’re thinking, hard attack right? Nope. The PSSWC uses a crude form of timing. When you enter, you get a small wooden paint sample card with your name on it. When you finish, you put your paint chip through a small metal pole at the finish table. The placing of your chip determines your final placement. Bottom is first, and so on. For the past 2 years, the overall chip drop turns out to be the deceive move. Fumbling for your chip is not an option and will cost you dearly. This year was no different. My winning move was made well before the parking lot. On that final stretch of dirt road, I pulled the chip out of my back pocket and placed it in mouth for easy access.  As we raced (rode aggressively –Ed.) through the parking lot, Stephen opens up his sprint and got to the general start area a half second before I did. However, with my paint chip ready and the fact I scoped out the finish area before the start, I rode right to the timing can and placed my chip on first. Although not the story book finished I hoped for, I had made it a three-peat World Championship title.

Stephen was a bit bummed with the overall outcome but eventually came around after I offered him some of my large fortune of prize money (a six pack of Pale Joe from Founder’s Brewery). Always big thanks to The Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association who puts this great event on. Finally, huge thanks to Giant for making a proper single speed bike! The new XTC+ is a blast to ride.

Now it’s time to focus on some less serious stuff, like that silly race up in Traverse City.

Editors Note: Collin Snyder takes single speeding way too seriously. While most people figured out how to use a shifter, Collin never really did. He also tends to be the king of riding ugly bikes and can turn the coolest looking bike into a monstrosity with odd color parts lying around.

The post The Not So Serious Blog appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

–By Aric Dershem, Team OAM NOW Cyclist

As road cyclists, we love the feeling of the wind in our face (and even better, the wind at our back). We love the way the road rolls below us as our feet push and pull the pedals. We love seeing the countryside pan by us as we cover mile after mile under our own power. We love the sound of a quiet drive train propelling us forward. We love all these things about road biking and so many more. We find it difficult to imagine why anyone would not love road cycling and hard to explain why we love it so much.

Unfortunately, we have all heard stories about close calls or experienced firsthand confrontations between motorists and cyclists. This year seems worse than ever with far too many of these confrontations ending tragically.

We love to be on the road, but we must also recognize that a real element of risk exists every time we roll down our driveway and into the street. There are some things that research is telling us that we can do to dramatically improve our safety on the road. A recent study sponsored by a major bicycle manufacturer found that there are three primary actions we can take as cyclists to protect ourselves. They use the mnemonic, A+B+C to help us remember these.

A)    Always on lighting – 80% of bike accidents happen during daylight. Having lights on even during daylight hours attracts the attention of motorists and helps us stand out.

B)    Biomotion – When we highlight the motion of our bodies using reflectors, this makes us more recognizable as humans to drivers who might be otherwise distracted.

C)    Contrast – High visibility and reflective gear helps us stand out day or night.

Even before this recent study came out, I made the commitment to run lights every time I take the road. I am one of those cyclists who usually rides alone and most often early in the morning (before sunrise). For me, riding with lights is essential both for me to see and be seen. One morning as I waited at an intersections at 6 am, a woman pulled up next to me and rolled down her window. I was naturally expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised by the interaction. She leaned over to the passenger side window and said, “I could see your lights a half-mile up the road. Thank you for being so visible.” Interactions like this only confirm the value of being visible to motorists. Now, I never hit the road, day or night, without lights.

I personally recommend the Bontrager Ion 800R headlight and Flare R rear light. Both are small, compact, come with a versatile (and interchangeable mount) and are rechargeable using a standard microUSB cable (included). These lights can be purchased at great trek dealers like Speedmerchants Bike Shop. While you can often find less expensive light, the 800 lumen front light provides a strong enough beam to ride at night while the Flare R is bright enough to be highly visible even in full daylight. The only problem with the Flare R is that on its high setting, some people may not want to ride behind you because it’s so bright.

In addition to making ourselves visible, there are other relatively new technologies that we can use us safe. RoadID, maker of the prolific ID bracelets, offers a free app for your mobile phone that will text a link to anyone you designate when you leave for a ride. The link takes the recipient to a map showing where you are on your ride and will automatically notify them if you stop moving for more then 5-minutes without turning the app off. My wife and I use this constantly to make sure that we can be notified if something happens to either of us while out on the road.

Perhaps my favorite piece of safety technology is my Garmin Varia rearview. I received this as a gift ast year for Christmas and had no idea how valuable this would be. The Varia is a rear light with multiple flashing modes. While it is not as bright as the Flare R, it is still part of my everyday setup because the Varia rearview essentially give me eyes in the back of my head. That’s right, the Varia is rear-facing radar that alerts my Garmin head unit when a vehicle (or vehicles) are approaching me from behind. This allows me to keep my focus on the road ahead of me while still being aware of what is coming from behind me. I have found this to be especially useful when I’m riding on busy roads with high traffic speeds or roads with especially narrow shoulders. Having used this technology for the past year, I have to say that on those rare occasions when I don’t ride with my Varia, I miss it. The ability to know when traffic is approaching allows me to ride defensively without constantly looking behind me to see if anything is coming. It makes my rides both safer and more enjoyable.

At the end of the day, 99.9% of us ride for the fun it offers us and the challenge it presents to us. Like any activity, it comes with some inherent risks, but we can take some deliberate steps to reduce that risk. Over the past year, I have become increasingly aware of my role in staying safe on the road and I’m grateful for technology that allows me to be more visible to the drivers I’m sharing the road with and have eyes in the back of my head. Let’s all do our part to make the road safe for everyone so we can all enjoy the benefits of the road together.

The post Eyes in the Back of Your Head   appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

By : Joe Meyers, Team OAM NOW Multi-Sport Athlete

Team OAM NOW has helped me this year with not only supporting me in running but leading me into success in cycling. I am on the multi-sport team and I started off the year mainly running and playing tennis tournaments most weekends.  Now, I still run and I still play the tournaments but I have found great success in cycling also.

Joe Meyers took second in his age group at the Peak2Peak mountain bike festival this October

At the BTR Race for Wishes earlier this season I became the state champion for road cycling and following that I won the 15-16 age category junior point series. Also I have been competing in cycle-cross and mountain biking, last week placing second in the 12-18 beginner age category.  Besides earning two varsity letters in the fall season, I try to go to most of the cycling races with my dad, John Meyers as much as I can. Team OAM NOW has helped me stay focused with my sports career and has opened up new experiences and hopefully many more to come.

Joe’s impressive balancing efforts and talents are noticed by his teammates, coaches, school, and OAM NOW community. Joe was recently profiled in Knight Life News, the Loy Norrix High School community news source. 

The post The Epitome of a Multi-Sport Athlete appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

–By JoAnn Cranson, Team OAM NOW cyclist

The first time another rider asked me, “What kind of watts were you pushing up that hill?” I had no idea what they were talking about. I knew speed, cadence, heart rate, distance… but watts? How would I know my watts? Then, I was introduced to an incredible tool for cycling – the power meter. If you haven’t used one yet, I will warn you… once you start, you become lost without it, like so many new technologies.

If you are like I was, you may have no idea what a powermeter is. I’ll try to explain in layman terms. Power meters measure torque and velocity to calculate power in watts. In other words, the force you use to push your foot against the pedal and how fast you can turn the crank equals the power (wattage) you create.

Power meters come in many different styles and options. You can spend between $500 to almost $4000, depending on what your goals are and what you are willing to invest. They can be installed in the crank set, rear hub, bottom bracket, chair ring and now pedals too. Because they are wireless, they instantly display the wattage on your cycling computer, providing instantaneous feedback throughout your ride. Naturally it takes some time to determine what works best for you and to make sure everything involved is compatible.

Now that you know what a powermeter is, you may ask “What good does a powermeter do”? Is it just another fancy gadget you have to figure out how to work?

In my opinion, it’s more valuable to me than my speedometer or heart-rate! I remember I use to not want to go ride when it was really windy or a hilly ride because I got discouraged with my average mph. Well, with the powermeter it doesn’t matter how windy it is, my power is going to show me how hard I’m working whether I’m going 16.7 mph or 24.4 mph.

I took a couple pictures of my cycling computer on a windy day to show the differences. Notice it shows my power vs mph (depending on if I had a head-wind or tail-wind).

Power is 274 watts only going 16.7 mph with a head-wind

Power is only 221 watts– but flying at 24.4 mph with a tail-wind

The power meter is an incredibly valuable tool for so many reasons. It measures your workload accurately and instantaneously whereas heart rates respond more slowly and are more effected by outside influences such as temperature and hydration. Post-ride data analysis allows you to review power over time so you can see strengths and weaknesses. For example, you can see from the data that you are stronger when you ride at a lower cadence, or that you climb best when you stay seated at a high cadence.

Not only can you determine your strengths and weaknesses, but you are able to individually tailor your training using power. Whether you are doing road racing, time trials, or want to stay with the faster group rides, a power meter will help you get the most out of your training every day. For example, if you want to be consistent in long rides, you can practice intervals above/under your threshold values so you can teach your body to handle it. You can learn through training what wattage you can handle before “blowing up” over a specific time period. And my favorite part is that you can clearly see as you train how your wattage continues to climb as you get stronger!!

One final and very important benefit of training with power is the ability to see clearly when you are overtraining. If you have been riding a consistent wattage and all of a sudden your heartrate is elevated but you can’t hold the watts… it’s a clear indicator that you are over-training and you need rest. This was always the hardest thing for me to see in myself before I had a power meter.

As a rider who went from “what is a power meter” to “I can’t ride without a power meter.” – I can tell you that a power meter is a great tool to improve your individual cycling no matter what type of rider you are.

The post Are You Ready to Powermeter Up? appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

–By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM NOW cyclist

I’ve been working on a pretty cool project that has escalated over the past month that I would like to explain.  It can be a bit hard to explain to people both within and outside of cycling so I’ll do my best to cover what I’m doing and why.

Zwift is an interactive online cycling program that you can pair to a smart trainer or a power meter ride on a virtual course with other riders logged in from around the world.  You can chat with riders around you, join group rides, do pre-written or custom workouts, or even race. If you have a smart trainer, the resistance will change based on the elevation changes of the Zwift course. Overall, it makes riding the trainer 100% more engaging and can be a great training tool.

At the beginning of the summer, Zwift rolled out a program called “Zwift Academy,” open to any female cyclist. It included a series of workouts, a pre and post Functional threshold power (FTP) test and a designated number of group rides to complete over a three month time span. After this “qualifying period” a panel of professionals would analyze power data and other information and select 10 semi-finalists they thought had the potential to be professional riders. The semi finalists continue the program and compete for the grand prize of a one year contract with the Canyon/SRAM team.

When I read about this at first, I was intrigued but I thought it was a bit sacrilegious to ride the trainer in the summer and I only had a couple months of freedom before medical school started. However, I thought it was a pretty cool idea and I joined the Facebook group to keep tabs on it. Through the summer, an impressive community of women from around the world converged on this platform- sharing stories, equipment tips, training advice, and such. Most of them were not in it for the “grand prize” or any prize at all but the pursuit of improvement and inclusion in a community.

At the end of July when I was preparing to move to Ann Arbor to start school, I began to plan how I would continue to train most efficiently with the demands of school. I knew my days of riding my mountain bike endlessly from our front door were over and I knew the trainer was going to turn into an important training tool for me. So just for fun, I looked at the Zwift Academy requirements again. It would be a lot of work to finish the program by the August 31^st deadline but it had already elicited the spark of a new challenge and there was no turning back.

Despite occasionally feeling guilty for riding inside in August,  Zwift Academy turned into a great outlet for me for several reasons. It definitely helped me fit in a lot of high quality efficient workouts as my volume declined. It also reduced the amount of time I was on the road during the time that I was most anxious about cars due to recent accidents. However, I didn’t post any of my Zwift rides on Strava, because I wasn’t quite confident enough to explain what I was doing or why.

Ore to Shore was a success amid school and Zwift

Fitting in the workouts around races and outdoor rides turned out to be more of a challenge than expected because the workouts were legitimately hard. However, I managed to finish Zwift Academy by the deadline.  I figured I would likely have a chance at moving on but due to the time constraints, I didn’t do all the workouts at the highest quality and my power numbers didn’t improve much in such a short time. However, one week after the conclusion of the program, my name was among the ten from around the world to move on. (Check out the bios from the semi-finalists here.) I was excited and pleased but also surprised with their selection.  I was very honest with Zwift Academy about my school and racing plans but they advanced me nevertheless.  I thought this was pretty cool for several reasons:

First, one of my goals of medical school is to avoid sacrificing myself mentally and physically in the process of medical training.  Yes, this is historically how it has been done and I may be judged for wanting it to be different. However, I think that the University of Michigan is on board with this and it is cool that Zwift Academy acknowledged this too.

Secondly, my involvement with this project is not driven solely by the pursuit of a pro contract.  But I don’t think it is all about the pro contract for Zwift Academy either.  The enthusiasm of the Zwift Academy community exceeded expectations and I think there is a lot of power in using both community and “gamification” for some impressively rewarding fitness and satisfaction gains – and not just for the highest caliber athletes.  I think building and strengthening an underrepresented community in the cycling world will benefit the sport at all levels. So I was pleased that Zwift acknowledged that I might have something to bring to this community, even if it does not necessarily mean being the optimal candidate to fulfill a professional contract.

The next round of workouts started up last week and I have the months workouts in my Training Peaks. The semi-finals include one outdoor workout, one specific Zwift workout and one Zwift group ride or race of our choice. It is actually a pretty relaxed schedule that allows me to continue to spend time on my mountain bike. The semifinals run through the end of November.So it will definitely be an interesting ride no matter what and I’m excited to see what the next few months hold.

The post My Zwift Academy Ride appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.

–By Tammy Shuler, Team OAM NOW athlete

On March 31st, 2014 I was matched with a young boy named Cainen, through a site called “I run 4 Michael”.  A friend told me about the group, and that they had the same motto I had. “I run because someone else can’t and I can.” After visiting the sight  I signed up. It took two months before I was matched.  They gave me Cainen’s mothers contact information. We hit it off right from the start.

She was a single mother caring for a severely handy capped boy. He was 2 almost 3 years old. He couldn’t walk and was nearly deaf and legally blind. He had sever Down’s syndrome and possibly autistic.  As a member of the group you are encouraged to post on Facebook, twice a week, include pictures and positive thoughts about running.

 Over the last two and a half years I have been in contact, through Facebook, texts and private messenger, with Cainen’s mother Melissa. I have run more than 10 marathons, two Ironmans, two half Ironmans, a 100k, multiple other triathlons, and races, as well as all the training that goes with that, and dedicated it to Cainen through Facebook. Saturday I got to meet Cainen and his family. I was given the honor of pushing him in a “BOB” stroller at a fund raising event for children with brain cancer in Wisconsin. He is a sweetheart.

He loves the feel of the vibration and the wind on his face. His mother has lost 80 pounds during our friendship. I like to believe that these posts and encouragement had something to do with this. She has also gotten married and had another child Charley, who is a healthy active boy. fI gave Cainen all the metals I had collected over the past two and a half years. As well as some tee shirts. I think he likes them. I have a forever bond with this amazing family, that I can not thank “I run4″ enough. I hope to make the Briggs & Al’s children’s run, walk , an annual event with Cainen, my buddy.

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By: Roxane Kippen, Multisport Team Captain

It is very hard to believe that another triathlon season is coming to an end.  This year has been another of hard work and much success for Team OAM NOW multisport athletes.  The best part about my role as a team captain is celebrating the victories of our outstanding group of triathletes.

Our multisport team members range in age from 19 years old to flirting with retirement and each decade in between is well represented.  We are a diverse group made up of teachers, students, attorneys, and finance, IT and engineering professionals.  A healthy balance of all life has to offer is important to us.  On top of things like work, school, family and other worthy causes; we find time to train, race and promote active lifestyles by volunteering in our communities.

As I look back at our stats from two years ago, I am amazed at the growth in the numbers.  We have nearly doubled in team members and have gone from competing in 24 different triathlon events and a total of 50 triathlon finishes to competing in 31 events with over 90 finishes.  Of the 90 finishes, over two thirds resulted in top 3 podiums.  There were 61 podiums in 2016 versus 37 podiums in 2014, including 11 first place overall finishes.

First Place Overall Finishes in 2016

Danielle Nye                     Gull Lake Sprint Triathlon

Elaine Sheikh                 Bear Lake Olympic Triathlon
Tri Del Sol
Michigan Titanium Olympic Triathlon

Jeff Nordquist              Seahorse Triathlon
Grand Rapids Triathlon Olympic Aquabike

John Meyers                Double Time Duathlon
Shermanator Duathlon

Kathy Braginton          Gull Lake Triathlon Masters
Shermanator Triathlon Masters

Todd Anthes                Gull Lake Olympic Triathlon

Other highlights for the season include Tammy Shuler’s perfect 8 for 8 age group wins, Elaine Sheikh’s double top 10 finish at USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals in both the Sprint and Olympic distances for the second year in a row, Lindsey Lilley’s top 5 overall finish at Michigan Titanium, her first iron distance event ever and Brian Reynolds’ top 10 overall finish at Ironman Wisconsin, his first iron distance event ever.  In addition, Danielle Nye and Elaine Sheikh represented Team USA at the ITU World Age Group Championships this weekend in Cozumel, Mexico!

As a team we have a common goal to balance work, life and sport.  We are a family and love to share in each other’s successes and encourage each other through challenges and setbacks.  While we always enjoy being on the podium, the journey is more often a larger victory. We are thankful we have such great sponsors that support us in doing what we love and allow us to be proud stewards of the sport.

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