This document summarizes a runner's experience completing the Portland Marathon. It describes the runner's training leading up to the marathon, including logging over 700 miles of training runs. On the day of the marathon, the runner woke up early and was dropped off alone at the starting line, feeling nervous without any running partners. However, the runner was able to complete the full 26.2 mile marathon distance despite facing challenges like rain and an IT band issue. The runner crossed the finish line feeling a great sense of accomplishment for finishing the marathon alone.

1. OCTOBER 2011
TRIFUSION END of
SEASON SOCIAL
Need to BUY tickets
from Natalie G. tonight!
Winter Cycling
Portland
Pg. 10
Marathon R.R. Mental
Recipe, BOD,
Moose Chase Strentgh Spokane Mara-
Calendar &
thon Relay R.R.
R.R. Pg 11-12 Sponsors
Solving the
Pg. 8-9 Pg. 13 Pg 14-16
Run Riddle
Pg. 5-7
Tonight’s Presentations—Ben Greenfield & Eric Byrd
TRI FUSION’S END of SEASON SOCIAL
WHAT? Our Team’s Annual Celebration of all things multi-sport!!
WHEN? Friday, NOVEMBER 18th @ 7:00pm
WHERE? At the SPOKANE COUNTRY CLUB on 2010
Waikiki Road
ATTIRE… Semi-Formal (typically gals wear cute dresses, guys wear button
shirt with or without tie/slacks)
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS… * A Team Video * This year we will have a photo booth with props to take fun/ny and
memorable pictures together!! * A Delicious buffet dinner/dessert * A no-host,
CASH ONLY bar
TICKETS!!? $25.00 each. Be sure to BUY
your tickets TONIGHT!!
Please see NATALIE GALLAGHER
1

2. I decided to risk sounding like a credit card commercial. Here goes...
THE NUMBERS (approx)
Registration fee= $145
2 pair of running shoes= $200
fuel belt and GU gels= $175
one night at the Double Tree Hotel= $120
travel expenses and food= $150
miles logged for training= 700+ bean adventures : Portland Marathon
The joy felt at mile 13 of 26.2...breathtaking.
The overwhelming sense of accomplishment while crossing the finish line after 26.2...PRICELESS.
The journey started with a thought. A thought that I had never done something out of pure intentionality. I
remember running races, finishing triathlons and completing projects not because I desired to do them,
but because I jumped on someone's bandwagon. So on February 15th I financially and mentally committed
to the completion of the Portland Marathon. I asked my friend Kathi to help me drum up a training plan
and then I asked a couple gals if they'd like to join me in my endeavor. The training plan came through and
worked wonders although I suffered a bit of burn-out in the end...running became a forced thing and not a
thing I enjoyed. The two gals? Well, one was all talk so when it came to signing up, it was a no-go. The oth-
er signed up, paid the money, did a few months of training but when it came down to the day of the race,
well, I have no clue what happened. Needless to say, I did this journey physically alone (careful to say
'physically' because I had many supporters and cheerleaders!). I can only think of a few times I had a run-
ning buddy but for the most part, it was a lonely journey...all the way down to the big
event.
Bobby and I set out for Portland early Saturday morning. Of course, we had to stop at Franks Diner for a
good protein filled breakfast and then Indaba for fuel for the road.
Once we checked in to our hotel, we made a crazy kind of beeline for the marathon's
trade show and packet pick-up. For a routine I've never experienced in a city I've rarely
navigated, I fared pretty well...with Bobby's help of course (if it wasn't for his gaming abilities, I'd get lost
in the city!). After we picked up all the info needed, we walked the couple blocks to the location of my
wave start and then to the location of the start/finish line. It was quite a delight to run into the passionate
folks camped outside the Justice building for Occupy Portland. It was interesting to see the difference be-
tween Occupy Spokane vs. Portland. Lets just say you can tell Spokane is a much smaller and less liberal
community.
I wondered how the protesters were going to affect the marathon since they were
camped in the very same park we were supposed to finish at but I was put at ease when
I saw these signs.
2

3. After a cuppa joe in a cute little shop we settled on a movie (The Ides of March)
and then headed back to the hotel for dinner (Salmon and a few yummy sweet
potato tots) and much needed rest. I laid out all that I was going to need for my
early morning and was delighted to see what Bubbs (Ali Stitt) had put together
for me...a homemade card with great words of encouragement, recovery good-
ies and tattoos! I had also brought the card I got from Nikki to remind me that I
am tough...a bulldog on a poodle skirt, that's what 'tough' is! ;)
And then, sleep. But I didn't do much of that. I tossed and turned...pillows sucked, bed was way too soft,
and the latino couple across the way decided our whole floor needed to hear their relational issues. I re-
member waking up at 12:30am and being excited that I had a few more hours to sleep. I also remember
waking up at 1:45 in a panic because I feared I had slept through my alarm. Then again at about 3:30 for
the same reason...but that time, I stayed awake...for an hour...because 4:30 is the time I needed to wake
up in order to leave and be at the start by 6am (which is what event organizers suggested...but in retro-
spect, I didn't need to be there til closer to 6:45). I know it seems like a long time to get ready to
run...but I have a routine and if I don't get started early, bad things happen...promise.
So Bobby shuttled me to my wave corral (which, to my dismay, I was notified I was placed in with the
walkers...I didn't know I had planned to be that slow!). It was here that I got emotional...just before get-
ting out of the car I realized I was on my own now, with thousands of strangers. Could I really do this? I
wouldn't have anyone with me to push me or give me words of encouragement and once I joined others in
my wave, I saw so many pairs or groups of people running this thing with their buddies or running part-
ners or spouses. I guess I didn't get the memo that I was supposed to not do this alone or something. So
there I stood, for an hour, alone in the middle of a crowd. This gave me a lot of time to think...which is
when I realized I was missing nearly half of my fuel I had planned for the course. FAWESOME. I acci-
dentally left it in the car...my emotions apparently clouding my memory. I heard there would be gummy
bears and such along the course and concluded that they would have to fill the void.
My first pang of joy came when the national anthem was performed...at first causing a great silence within the crowd and
then an eruption of hoots and hollers...glorious! Before long, we were moving to the start.
7:26am found my foot crossing the starting line reminding me much of Bloomsday. I had to walk a bit be-
fore I felt I had enough room to actually run. I waited to put my earbuds in so I could soak up the atmos-
phere and the first of many bands along the course. Once the earbuds were in and my music going, I was
oblivious to any other noises. I found myself a rhythm and away I went. I thought I should hash out a plan.
Should I run 2 miles, walk one? Should I run two songs' worth and walk one? How was I going to do this?
(note: most people plan this out before they cross the starting line...those people are smart.) Within 30
minutes, my IT band decided to rear it's ugly head. I refused to let it get me down though so I ignored it.
Laa La La... I tried looking for mile markers and realized I must be missing them due to the volume of
people on the course. It wasn't until mile 5 that I saw my first sign...and I had been running for a whole
hour straight (except water stations). This is worth mentioning because during my training I never could
run a whole hour without becoming bored and walking. I took inventory and decided I felt great (still ig-
noring my IT band issue) so I kept at it. Next mile marker I found? Mile 10...almost exactly 2 hours in
which puts me somewhere around a 12 min. mile pace. WOOT! By this time, even though it was raining,
my insides were stoked because I felt amazing (and, I spotted my friend's roomie, Jaime) From here on
3

4. out, I saw just about every mile marker since the crowd was thinning a bit. I couldn't have been more hap-
py to see mile 13...the halfway point. I was elated to know I was feeling as good as I was at such a distance
all the while STILL FREAKIN' RUNNING!!! Are you kidding me?! I've never run 13 miles straight! I de-
cided I may have been inspired by the crowd and moving along with their pace...ok whatever works! (suck
it, IT band!!)
Then, mile 16. it was at this point that the 2 mile hill I had been warned about began. I gave myself per-
mission to walk it. Little did I know that a portion of the hill was the St. John bridge. Man, I wished I had a
camera as I cannot begin to explain the grandness of this bridge in comparison to the tiny runners crossing
it. It was phenominal. Oh. My. Goodness. At mile 18 I remember seeing in the distance the city I was sup-
posed to finish in, questioning how the heck I was going to get back there in 8 miles? EIGHT MILES? I on-
ly have EIGHT miles?! Holy crappola! I saw somewhere along this part of the course my favorite spectator
sign of them all, "Chuck Norris never ran a marathon!" Hells yea! By this time I had resorted to the
'run two songs, walk one' strategy which carried me through until mile 22 when my calves decided to
make it known that they were fed up with this treatment. Then my thought was, "I'll run whenever I frig-
gin' feel like it, GOSH!" Mile 24 found me spying my watch...I had approximately 35 minutes to finish
under 6 hours...so I did what I know best...I shuffled. A shuffle is not a run or a walk...not even a jog real-
ly...feet barely come off the ground but they're quick steps...these quick steps got
me to mile 25 where I took out my earbuds to once again, soak in the atmosphere.
People were cheering me on by name (I forgot my bib had my name on it! haha!)
and my shuffling increased. I got within 5 blocks of the finish and realized I would
make 6 hour mark after all! I picked up more speed when I knew I was within 2
blocks and I felt so good it was as though I had just started running! I saw Bobby
cheering me on with a box of Voodoo Doughnuts (that was my only request from
him at the end...I wanted a Voodoo doughnut). I rounded the corner, passed over a
timing strip that I assumed would register my name for the announcer and sure
enough as I passed over the finish line, I heard my name announced as a finisher
of the 2011 Portland Marathon.
I am no longer a marathon virgin and I am so very proud of myself. I don't like to toot my own horn but I am in love with the fact that I
did this...and had an amazing experience to boot!
Here’s the ending numbers:
Start time: 7:26am
@10km, 8:41am, 12:03 pace
@8.6km, 9:11am, 12:42 pace
@Half, 10:07am, 12:18 pace
@17.5 mi, 11:12am, 14:51 pace
@20 mi, 11:51am, 15:50 pace
@21.1mi, 12:11pm, 18:08 pace
@26.2 mi, 13:31 pace
Finish time: 1:20pm and a total time of 5 hours, 54 minutes
Thank you for all who encouraged me along the way!
(Former TriFusion member) `Sheena Enslow senslow.blogspot.com
4

5. Solving the Run Riddle
By Jason Gootman and Will Kirousis
"I had a solid swim, I tore it up on the bike, and then I fell apart on the run! What
happened? How can I avoid this and have a strong run?" Triathletes typically respond
to this question and problem by running more, running harder, or both, figuring they
are just not very good runners. Sometimes this works - if the athlete's problem is
simply that they are not as strong of a runner as they'd like to be. If that sounds like
you, then keep at it - there is not substitute for hard work. But what if you already are
a strong runner and you still seem to fade or fall apart on the run in triathlons? What if you run great in running
races, but don't run so well in triathlons? In this case, we need to identify what is holding you back and go over
how to solve your problem. Here are five common issues that cause weak triathlon runs and their solutions.
Poor Swimming and Cycling Technique
Poor swimming and cycling technique are often the cause of poor running performance in a triathlon. This can be
difficult to grasp if you think of a triathlon as three different sports. In reality, you encounter a triathlon as one
race, with three different disciplines, or methods of movement, linked together. In any endurance-sports race,
how much energy you expend (physical, mental, and emotional) during the first half of the race greatly affects
your performance in the second half of the race. Consider what it would be like to run a marathon or ½ mara-
thon if you were forced to run the first half with your hands tied behind your back, and then the second half of the
race with your hands free. This would affect your performance not only in the first half of the race. Yes, you
would run more slowly over the first half of the course as a result of your impaired movement abilities, but even
with your hands free, you would run with great difficulty over the second half of the course because you would
have just run over the first half of the course in a terribly inefficient manner, using up a lot of your stored ener-
gy. This is what happens to you when you complete the swim and bike portions of the race with great effort (and
sometimes great speed), but with poor economy of motion from your underdeveloped swimming and cycling
technique. It's simply taking you too much energy to get through the swim and the bike.
If this is your problem:
1. Make it a priority to patiently and systematically develop your ability to swim faster with less
effort by learning to swim with good technique. The books, videos, and other materials from Terry
Laughlin's company Total Immersion (go www.totalimmersion.net) are among the best sources of
help in this area.
2. Make sure your bike fit allows to you pedal your bike with a high level of efficiency. Consider an expert bike
fit from a bike fitter experienced in fitting triathletes. For more information on what is involved in a comprehen-
sive bike fitting for a triathlete, visit the websites of professional bike fitters. A great place to start is Ian Buchan-
an's Fit Werx website (www.fitwerx.com).
3. Make it a priority to learn to pedal with greater efficiency. This means learning to apply force evenly through-
out the entire pedal stroke. Drills such as single-leg pedaling, high-cadence pedaling, and similar drills, as well as
methods such as periodically riding a fixed-gear bike can all help with pedaling efficiency.
5

6. Poor Strength/Power
All endurance sports require the cyclic production of strong/powerful movements. Running is no different. It is
often a triathlete's lack of strength/power that limits him/her on the run of a triathlon. For many triathletes, years of
an overemphasis on "long-slow-distance training" slowly deteriorates their neuromuscular system, diminishing their
capacity to perform strong/powerful motions. For many who run out of steam on the run, unable to hold a strong
pace, this is the case.
To improve your strength/power:
1. Incorporate hill workouts in both cycling and running in your training plans.
2. Incorporate gym-based strength/power workouts into your training plan. Use free-standing, total-body exercises
that train movements not muscles. Exercises like all forms of squats, lunges, step-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, standing
pushing exercises, standing pulling exercises, Olympic lifts, medicine-ball throws, plyometrics, and similar exercises
are ideal for developing usable, athletic strength/power. Keep your workouts under an hour and focused on
strength/power, not endurance. To do so, keep your sets per workout to 15 or less, keep your reps per set to 10 or
less, and take rest intervals of 2-3 minutes between sets.
Poor Running Technique
Running is not solely a metabolic activity as many think. Like swimming and cycling, running has a larger technique
aspect. You may be having problems in the run of a triathlon, not because you have not developed the endurance to
cover the distance at a good speed, but because your running technique is poor and you are wasting tremendous
amounts of energy when you run. If you have not worked to create optimal running technique, this could very well
be your downfall.
If this is your problem, work on establishing an efficient mid-foot landing under your center of mass, on establishing a
quick, rapid turnover where you are light on your feet, and keeping your stride compact in both the front and
back. Learning to run well is a fun process of reconnecting with how your body is designed to interact with the earth
and with gravity. Doing so allows you to run in a way that takes advantage of, instead of fighting, the natural forces
of gravity as well as inertia, momentum, and the stored elastic energy in your muscles. For a thorough discussion of
improving running technique and materials to help you, the books, videos, and other materials of Nicholas Roma-
nov's company Pose Tech (www.posetech.com) are excellent resources.
Sub-par Overall Health
It's possible that you crumble during the run not because you are a poor runner, but because you are racing in a state
of subpar overall health. Stated another way, you are chronically overstressed (overtrained). A triathlon places a
huge demand on you to perform a very difficult task. To do so successfully requires you to draw upon every ounce of
your physical, mental, and emotional reserves especially in the later stages of the race (the run). If you get to the
start line of your big race, and your physical, mental, and emotional reserve tanks area already half empty, it is going
to be very hard for you to sustain a high level effort for the duration of the event. Usually, through strong willpower,
you'll "hold it together" (not a peak performance state) for much of the race, but at some point in the run, you'll hit a
wall. This is often seen in DNFs as well as dramatically slowed paces on the run compared to the rest of the
race. The problem here is not poor running ability; it's subpar overall health. The problem simply shows up on the
run because it is the last segment of the demanding race. An overstressed, tired athlete tends to fall apart late in rac-
es. A very well-rested, very healthy athlete tends to finish races strongly.
If subpar overall health is holding you back, you should make it a priority to work to improve your overall
health. Here are some areas to work on:
6

7. 1. Rest. Successful training is based around the concept of systematically applying workout stress with alternating
periods of rest. A major cause of sub-par health in triathletes is constant application of workout stress without ade-
quate rest. Make sure that your training plan is set up in a way that allows for the necessary rest. Try to carve out
some time each day for at least a bit of rest and carve out more when you can (like on weekends). If you have trouble
"doing nothing", learn to! And by the way, try not to think of rest as "doing nothing". Instead, think of it as the
conscious choice to allow yourself some downtime. In your training plans, carve out a rest week every 3-5 weeks
where you cut your workout load in half, and take a rest day (no workouts) at least one day a week.
2. Sleep. Oftentimes, more sleep, not a greater workout load, will greatly improve your performance, by creating
better health. Make it a priority to create great chronic sleep patterns.
3. Nutrition. Inadequate nutrition can quickly lead to diminished health which will often rear its head in poor triath-
lon runs. Make sure your daily diet is full of fruits, vegetables, lean meat, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
4. Stress Management. Making the effort to simplify your life can greatly reduce your overall stress load. Look at
your work life and relationships and see where you can make changes to reduce the amount of stress in your life.
Poor Pacing
Sometimes athletes just go too fast/hard in the swim, bike, and/or early in the run, and it comes back to bite
them. Pacing is vital in any endurance-sports race. Pacing in a triathlon is a bit tricky when compared to a single-
discipline race like a running race, so it takes a bit of experience to really get the hang of it. Think of the swim like
the first fifth of a marathon. It's no time to be racing like a hero. Would you ever race real fast/hard-faster/harder
than you can sustain-in the first five miles of a marathon? No way. Because you know it would slow you down or
crush you later in the race. The same thing can happen in a triathlon. Avoid thinking of it as three separate rac-
es. Your body (and your mind and heart), perceive a triathlon as one race. In the transitions, you don't get a chance
to rest your muscles, take a mental snooze, or stop giving your all to start fresh on the next leg. Think of the bike
like the bulk of the race (keep your pace consistent; don't go nuts) and the run like the last fifth of a marathon. The
last fifth of a marathon is when it hurts, when you have to dig deep to keep racing well. The run in triathlon is no
different. Pace yourself well through the swim and the bike and early in the run, you are in place to finish strong and
have your best overall time.
If poor pacing is your problem:
1. Do some workouts leading up to your race(s) at are very race specific and practice your pacing. Directly practice
what paces you can sustain for the distances of your race. Then in the race, stick to paces that you know you can real-
istically maintain for the distance.
2. Use recent races to help you gauge your best approach to pacing. You can use races of the same distance that went
well as a good gauge. Or use races of the same distance where you fell apart in the run as a red flag that you need to
ease up a bit. You can also use races of different distances. As a solid rule of thumb, when you double the distance of
a race, you'll be able sustain speeds/paces that are about 5-10 percent slower. When you halve the distance of a race,
you'll be able to sustain speeds/paces that are about 5-10 percent faster.
3. When in doubt, slow down a bit. If you are conservative in your pacing, you will always be able to make up the
time later in the race. However, if you are aggressive in your pacing, you will always pay this back (with "interest")
later in the race. That is, you will give back the time you saved early on and more, often much more.
There are several other factors besides running more or running harder that can go into solving your triathlon run
riddle. Pick out what you think is holding you back and start working at it. You'll be on your way to a stronger run and stronger over-
all race in your next triathlon. It'll feel so good to finish strong!
Learn more about Jason Gootman, Will Kirousis, and Tri-Hard Endurance Sports Coaching at www.tri-hard.com.
7

8. Wild Moose Chase Trail Run 2011
Photos courtesy of Marsha Aguilar-Snow
For those of you who question the sanity and common sense of those who chase moose, let
me reassure you the Wild Moose Chase is not quite what you might imagine.Yes, running on the
mountain, traversing hilly terrain, and side-stepping rocks and roots is involved.Yet the only moose
spotted at the inaugural Wild Moose Chase trail run was by me, the race director. I’m not kidding. I
didn’t have the privilege of racing this event, but I did have the opportunity to stand in as race di-
rector with two other ladies from my Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Eastern Washington
University. And lo and behold, while setting up the 10k course, banking a turn to continue onto
the Wild Moose Nordic trail, two bull moose stared at us in my Toyota 4-Runner. Apparently they
got my invitation!
I’ve always been one to run the races, to shoot for that age
group award, to relish the satisfaction of a well paced, well raced
event. Not this time. When it came time to start raising money to
cover some of the travel expenses my class would incur to attend
a national educational conference this coming February, they
turned to Haley Cooper-Scott and me to organize some kind of a
race. We looked at each other with skepticism, shrugged our
shoulders, and thought, “Shoot. Why not?” The problem was, nei-
ther of us had actually directed a race; we’d always been the ones
competing.
Nonetheless, we each had our own set of contacts to learn
what we needed to know to put on a race. It soon transpired that
a trail run would attract the greatest number of people given the
rising interest in local runners to get off the roads and out onto
the trails. Both familiar with Mt. Spokane through our own run-
8

9. ning and skiing on the Nordic trails, we set that as our location and soon decided upon a name: The
Wild Moose Chase Trail Run.
With some organization, a lot of planning, and tremendous support from our sponsors, Sat-
urday, September 24th rolled around faster than any of us anticipated. My class was just coming
back from a 5-week internship to round out our first year of school, and many of the details had to
be worked out without their help. Steve Christensen, the park manager, provided such great sup-
port and enthusiasm for our event, and he did much of the course preparation. An avid runner
himself, he took the time to create the 25km course that so many racers cursed by the end of the
day on Saturday.
What a rush! The 25km course started out by 9am and the other two races were soon to fol-
low. I don’t think I sat down until the first 5km runners crossed the finish line. It wasn’t until 11
o’clock that I finally had a brief 10 seconds to use the bathroom, and don’t ask how that went
down…
Runners crossed the finish line, proud of the courses they con-
quered and the scenery they witnessed. As far as I know, racers never
wandered off course, and no one suffered from any serious injuries
that day. However, I still feel terrible about overlooking the im-
portance of having a couple coolers of ice for those who needed an
extra boost to ameliorate any aches or pains incurred along the way.
Runners admitted the 25km course that Steve and Haley worked on
proved to present quite a challenge to roadrunners and avid trail run-
ners alike. One man commented that it wasn’t quite challenging
enough to separate the trail runners from the roadrunners. However,
I don’t think we have any plans to make it more difficult next year.
We would rather see some PRs!
The 5km and 10km courses looked much flatter on paper than
they did in actuality. I ran both courses the week before the race to ensure race distances were
somewhat accurate. I applaud all the 5km runners for finishing a truly hilly, challenging course. It
certainly kicked my butt! Avid runners and families with kids all turned out to enjoy the courses,
and when I had the chance to watch runners cross the line, I saw only happy faces.
For those who participated this year, thank you for turning out to support our fundraising
effort. We ended up raising over $7,000 to help get us to Chicago, IL next February for the Com-
bined Sections Meeting, an educational weekend for physical therapists and students alike. Next
year, we hope to help the upcoming physical therapy students raise money by putting on the race
again. We all had so much fun and saw so many areas in need of improvement; we thought we bet-
ter try it again to see if we can make the event even better. I hope you will consider turning out
next year and spread the word to those you think might enjoy a day on the mountain.
-Meghan Faulkenberry
9

10. Three Things Everyone Should
Know About Winter Cycling
By Nate Kortuem
When riding during the winter months this year it is important to re-
member these three things.
1. Road Chemicals. If you like to ride outside and you live in the north then road chemicals are used everywhere you can-
not avoid them. Even if you are riding on a dry day the roads are covered with dry chemicals. These chemicals can lead to
corrosion and pitting on all metal surfaces of your bike. Almost all bearings and all chains are made of metal so these
chemicals bond to all these surfaces. This means it is very important to clean your bike after every ride. The same goes
for the spring months in the north when it is raining and the salt spray covers your bike. If you have ever looked closely at
a piece of aluminum after road chemicals have been sitting on them, the surfaces get pitted. These pits can weaken and
destroy aluminum bike parts. Weakened parts on a bike can be very dangerous for reasons I do not need to explain.
The easiest way to clean your bike is with a rag and a bottle of glass cleaner. The important thing is to wipe down your bike
after every ride and remove all of these chemicals. This goes for your drive train as well; use bike lube and a rag and run
through your chain and cassette. Remember 10 minutes after every ride can save you a huge headache and a lot of time
and money in the end.
2. Lights. During the winter months in the north it tends to get dark much earlier than during the summer months. It is
important to get lights for your bike. Even during a sunny day the sun is much lower in the sky. There can be shadows cov-
ering the roads in unexpected areas. Drivers could have difficulty seeing you in these areas. Also the roads can be nar-
rower because of snow or ice on the sides of the road. It is important to have a blinking red light on your seat post and a
light on your handle bars. If cars cannot see you, then they cannot avoid you. Remember the off-season is the time to heal
injuries, not get new ones.
Go to your local bike shop and ask them for lights. They vary in price and even the most expensive lights are cheaper and
less painful than a night in the hospital.
3. Tires. In the winter months there can be debris in the roadway that is unavoidable. Ice, gravel and snow are common.
When ever possible try to avoid these areas. To keep your rubber on the road, get bigger tires. If you normally ride 23c
tires try riding a 25c tire with more tread on it. The best thing to do is figure out what the maximum size tire that will fit on
your bike and use that. A wider tire means more surface area. More surface area means more traction.
Slow down when turning. It is not the time of the year to practice your cornering skills by bombing through turns. With
gravel, ice, and snow on the road, it is much easier for your front wheel to slide out from under you. The tires that I rec-
ommend are Maxxis Detonators 700x25c or Maxxis Re-Fuse 700x25c. Ask your local dealer if they carry them.
10

11. Mental Strength: Stay Focused and Avoid Burnout
The pressure to win and train with intensity 1) Perfectionists are at risk because they tend
has increased dramatically throughout the to set high standards for themselves and oth-
years, mostly because of the perceived re- ers.
wards. But a result of that pressure is burnout.
2) People who are other-oriented have a
One definition of burnout says it is a state of
strong need to be liked and admired. They
mental, emotional and physical exhaustion
tend to be generous with everyone but them-
brought on by persistent devotion to a goal
selves.
whose achievement is dramatically opposed to
reality. 3) People lacking assertive interpersonal skills
find it difficult to say no or express anger
Another definition states burnout is an ex-
without feeling guilty.
haustive psycho-physiological response exhib-
ited as a result of frequent, sometimes ex- Aside from personality characteristics there
treme, and generally ineffective efforts to are other factors in the research that lead to
meet excessive training and competitive de- burnout. Physical concerns: injury, losing,
mands. Both definitions stress extreme wear getting beat by other people, etc. Logistical
and tear on the body produced through train- concerns: demands on time, travel, etc. Social
ing demands larger than what a person can or interpersonal concerns: dissatisfaction with
cope with physically, mentally and psychologi- personal life, negative family influences, etc.
cally. Psychological concerns: unfulfillment, lack of
enjoyment, and inappropriate expectations.
Why talk about burnout? Triathletes experi-
ence burnout and it’s about this time in the Symptoms of burnout
season you might start experiencing the
symptoms. I am going to explain the symp- Burnout includes some or all of the following
toms and what you can do about them. physiological and psychological symptoms:
Causes of burnout Physiological: higher resting heart rates, high-
er systolic blood pressure, and delayed return
Burnout afflicts people who are overly dedi- to normal heart rate, elevated basal metabolic
cated, idealistic and motivated toward high rate, elevated body temperature, weight loss,
achievement. Individuals most prone to burn- impeded respiration, sub costal aching and
out are those who work too hard, too long, bowel disorders.
too intensely and are extremely dedicated to
it. Psychological: sleep disturbances, loss of self
confidence, drowsiness and apathy, quarrel-
Three personality characteristics have been someness, irritability, emotional and motiva-
identified as increasing an individual’s suscep- tional imbalance, excessive and prolonged
tibility to burnout:
11

12. weariness, lack of appetite, fatigue, depres- 7) Stay positive and emphasize FUN!
sion, anxiety, anger and hostility, and confu-
Your training program should not be too sim-
sion.
ple (it won’t challenge you enough) or too ex-
Prevention and treatment treme (which eventually leads to burnout).
When people burn out, they feel physically
There are numerous easy ways to prevent and and mentally exhausted. Burnout arises from a
treat burnout. A few of ways to approach sense of distress and discontent and a percep-
burnout are: tion of failing to achieve the ideals or goals
1) Set appropriate short term (physical & that a person has established. After repeated
mental) goals with incentives for reaching efforts to attain these goals and after working
them. This not only helps prevent burnout but as hard as possible without complete success,
it provides feedback that you are on the right feelings of failure develop along with negative
course and also enhances motivation. attitudes towards life, work, other people and
oneself.
2) Athletes need to schedule days off. It’s im-
portant to have one or two (maybe more de- The signs, symptoms, prevention and treat-
pending on your life) days completely off ment of burnout aren’t just physical but also
from training. One reason the business world mental. As an athlete it’s important do a bet-
provides vacations is so that employees don’t ter, more objective job of assessing where you
get burned and have time to rejuvenate. are at physically and mentally, not only initial-
ly, but on a continuing basis. Not only do you
3) Make sure you are flexible with your need a basis of where to begin your training
workouts. Don’t be too hard on yourself and program from a physical standpoint but you
so regimented that you can’t make a change in also need that information from a mental one
your training program when necessary. in order to observe, anticipate and learn from
4) Break up your workouts. Try a variety of fluctuations that lead to burnout.
training modes and make sure you allow your- If you didn’t begin your athletic career with a
self activities you most enjoy; there will cer- healthy physical and mental plan for your
tainly be activities you won’t. training program, now might be a good time
5) It’s important to have balance in your life. to start. Having a healthy well-rounded per-
Spend time on other interests and with friends spective on your training is key, and it makes
and family. more sense than wasting all the time you’ve
put into your training to burnout.
6) Learn to use self regulation skills: relaxa- Dr. Michelle Cleere (PhD, Certified USA Triathlon Level I Coach, NASM-CPT)
tion, imagery, goal setting and positive self has coached hundreds of amateur and professional athletes who compete in sports
talk. These skills can help ward off much of that require a high degree of mental endurance, toughness and focus to get more
out of their training, obtain better results and lead more balanced lives.
the stress that leads to burnout.
12

13. Spokane Marathon
Relay
The Spokane Marathon gives you the
option to do a full marathon, half mara-
thon, 10k or marathon relay. I did the
Spokane Marathon relay two years ago
and had a great time. I like it because it
allows you to run and also cheer on your
team. The marathon/half marathon
course is hilly and includes Doomsday.
If you want to PR this isn't the race you I did the first leg two years ago and this year I did third leg.
want to do it at. ;-) We participated as a This year the teams seemed faster that I remember. I saw a few
mixed relay, which must include two guys from the Spokane Distance project on one team; I think it
men and two women. The weather was was a mixed team but am not sure. Lanaia did the first leg,
cool and overcast so it was a good day to Casey did second, I did the third and Adrianne was our anchor.
run.
I went out to fast at the beginning of my leg. My plan was to
average sub 6:40s. I looked down at my GPS watch and I was
at a sub 6:00 pace! I slowed it down knowing I wouldn’t be
able to hold that pace. I caught and passed two or three other
teams. The high school cheer squads that worked the aid sta-
tions did a GREAT job! The definitely got me pumped. For
some reason I thought my leg of the run was longer than it was
and when I came to the transition zone I had lots of energy left
so I picked up my speed for the last hundred yards or so. I end-
ed up running 6:43miles in 42:17 which averages 6:35 min. per
mile. Our team took third place and finished in 2:54:xx.
Waoooooooo!! Fun Times!!
This racing season has been a great one for me. I finished Ironman CDA, I
PR’ed on my 5K time and my half marathon time. A year ago I was hoping
to do the Tri-cities Marathon. I ended up having some foot issues and
backed out because I didn’t want it to affect my Ironman training. I have
done one open marathon in the past and would like to challenge that time.
I am in the middle of my last build of the year and am hoping I can SURGE
one more time. May I get to the starting line un-injured, may the weather be clear and cool and may the stars
align for one more time this year…. May I finally slay this dragon called the Tri-cities marathon.
Stay tuned….. Rene Guerrero rene-guerrero.blogspot GOOD LUCK RENE…. Tri-Fusion :-)
13

14. Ingredients
• 1 yellow onion, grated A food processor makes this a whole lot easier!
• 4 ribs celery, grated
• 3/4 lb carrots, grated
• 1 1/2 T minced garlic
• 2 T dry basil
• 1/2 T red pepper flakes (Omit or reduce if you don't like spicy food)
• 32 ounces of beef stock
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• 8 oz cream cheese, cut into small chunks
(I use low-fat)
• 4 T basil pesto
• 4 T brown sugar
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
1. Saute onions, celery, carrots, & garlic in vegetable oil until onions are translucent
2. Add dry basil and red peper flakes, cook for 2 minutes
3. Add beef stock & pasta sauce, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer
4. Add cream cheese and simmer until cheese is dissolved, stirring frequently
5. Stir in basil pesto, remove from heat
6. Add brown sugar, stir, then serve
This recipe is one of my all-time favorite soups. It's got lots of veggies, lots of flavor, and even a little kick. Always a huge hit
when I've made it for friends and family. My recipe is only slightly modified from one I originally got from Kristen Labrie who made
it for a staff party. Everyone went crazy for it so she sent out the recipe to the whole staff. Two easy modifications you could
make would be to reduce or omit the spice (with the spice above I'd say it's about a 1 1/2 - 2 star) - another would be to omit the
cream cheese for a lower fat version. I've tried it all different ways and love them all, but the one above is my most favorite. With a
food processor, this recipe is very quick and easy. I usually double this recipe which fills up my 8qt. stockpot. For dinner club, I
quadruple which makes even extra which I freeze.
SpokaneDinnerClub.blogspot.com
14

15. The original recipe called for 1c butter, but I was very im-
Yellow Squash Muffins pressed with the 1/2 applesauce substitute. I added the cin-
namon streusel so it wouldn't be too healthy! This would also
with Cinnamon Streusel be very good if you added apple chunks and some cinnamon to
the recipe or even some craisins and walnuts. My sweet Emma
wanted them 'plain' as she was a bit skeptical about the main
squash ingredient. Good news... SHE LOVES THEM! She's
already requested that I make more so she can have them for
breakfast next week too. Great way to use up some of that
summer squash from the garden! p.s. That picture was taken
this morning on my patio table outside. Have to love that
natural lighting for photos!
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
1. Wash squash, trim ends, and cut into 1 inch slices
• 2 lbs. crookneck yellow squash
15-
2. Cook in a small amount of water for 15-20min.
• 2 eggs
3. Drain well and mash. (you can do it in blender)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
4. Measure 2 cups of the cooked squash, combine
• 1/2 cup applesauce
with eggs, butter and applesauce and set aside
• 1/2 cup sugar
5. Combine dry ingredients, stirring only until moist
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
6. Make a well in center of mixture
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
7. Add Squash to dry ingredients, stirring only un-
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
til moist
• 1 teaspoon salt
8. Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling 3/4 full
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour (streusel)
9. Combine all the streusel ingredients in a food
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (streusel) processor and pulse until crumbly. Alternately,
• 3T butter (streusel) you can mash the ingredients together in a bowl
using a fork, or just smoosh everything together
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (streusel)
with your fingers. Sprinkle over muffins or coffee
cake immediately before baking.
20-
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25min or until tooth-
SpokaneDinnerClub.blogspot.com pick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean
15

16. The Board of Directors, Sponsors and the Calendar of Upcoming Events….
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• TIFFANY BYRD- UNIFORM DIRECTOR
• ERIC BYRD - MENTOR DIRECTOR
• NATALIE GALLAGHER - SOCIAL DIRECTOR
• GREG GALLAGHER - VICE PRESIDENT
• BEN GREENFIELD - WEBSITE DIRECTOR
• ADAM LITTLE - MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
• JENNIFER LITTLE - TREASURER
We would like • ALISON STITT - NEWSLETTER DIRECTOR
to extend a • JESSI THOMPSON - SECRETARY
• ROGER THOMPSON - PRESIDENT
generous • DANIELLE WARNOCK - TRI FUSION KID’S CLUB DIRECTOR
Thank You to
our truly
J Oct., Nov. & Dec. Calendar 2011
Training Opportunities: Races:
• Whitworth Masters Swim, offered Find other races for the Northwest
FREE to Tri Fusion MEMBERS area @ www.runnersworld.com or
every Sunday 8:30-10:00am. Trifind.com
See the forum “Training” for
• Oct. 30th Tri-cities Marathon/
more info and signups as there
Marathon Relay
are limited spots each week.
• Nov. 19th Spokane Jingle Bell
• Continue to post & check for any
walk/run 5k
training swim/ride/run on the
Forum, Facebook page and/or • Nov. 24th Spokane Turkey Trot
send out an email! We encour- 5k 9am Manito park (food bank
age all of you to post your donations)
workouts there as well!
Upcoming Events:
Always check the Tri-Forum “Social
Events” for future upcoming events.
• November 18th, End of Season
Social. See Natatlie G. for Tick-
ets & more info. Next Membership Meeting:
• Turkey Trot Manito Park, fol- Next meeting is January 18th @
lowed by Krispy Kreme do- Northside Twigs
nuts. Thanksgiving day! No meeting November or December
8:30am pictures/9am race Happy Holidays!
16