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Overcoming Rough Surf, Rough Roads and Penalties at the Los Angeles Triathlon

By Gerardo Barrios, USA Triathlon Coach

The clouds eventually made way to beautiful clear skies as ValleyCoach.com athletes braved the rough surf and strong currents at Venice Beach on a cool fall day at the Kaiser Permanente's 10th Annual Los Angeles Triathlon. On this day, 24 year-old Derek Steer overcame two 3-minute penalties to take first place in his age group division.

Many athletes braved the choppy waters and heavy surf while others, after several attempts to get past the waves, turned back, turned their timing chips in, and continued on to complete a duathlon.

Richard Nguyen set a new Olympic distance personal best with a strong run, while swim expert, Jason Gordon, finished his first-ever Olympic distance event. Other ValleyCoach.com athletes who competed at this event included David Cefali, Lisa Gillmann, Deirdre Owens, David Bennett and Ann Lam. In the sprint race, LMU Collegiate athlete, Gonzalo Puig, won first place in his age group while taking fifth overall.

Preparation is key in being able to compete in these types of events. At ValleyCoach.com, we are proud of all of our athletes who were mentally ready to take on the challenge of the external factors put before them. It has been a successful year for our athletes with two major races left in the season; Richard Nguyen is preparing for his first half-ironman at Soma at the end of the month and in November, Derek Steer and Dolores Schutzman make their first attempt at the Ironman distance while Christina DeRonde goes back to conquer the desert at Ironman Arizona.

For a successful 2010 season, it is time to start planning. Contact us to get you going in the right direction. At ValleyCoach.com we are committed to helping you achieve your goals by providing you with personal attention and customized plans.

A Step Toward the Monumental Goal of the 100 Mile Run

By Gerardo Barrios
USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach

Congratulations to Ray Barrios for his continuing effort to conquer the Angeles Crest 100 Mile Run in September of 2009. Ray competed at the Bishop 50Mile Race on Saturday, May 16^th and finished in a time of 11:45. Ray had to brave hot conditions an elevation gain of over 12,000 feet while running at elevations ranging from 4000 feet to 9000 feet. The most impressive part was that Ray finished 3^rd in his division. Ray’s efforts can be attributed to his ability to cross-train by preparing for triathlons. Through swimming and cycling, Ray is able to improve his endurance and has shown gainsin all three sports. Nutrition and rest are key components in endurance training and we continue to work with Ray to make the best choices in a carefully-designed personal training plan to meet all his needs for his upcoming monumental challenge of the 100 mile run.

Lawrence Fong

Coach Lawrence Fong is currently in rehabilitation and through the support of his wife Beth Fong, the rest of his family, and his medical team he continues to make big strides toward a full recovery. We wish him the best in his comeback. For more details about Lawrence's condition and how you may be able to help, please visit Fongstrong.com

Why Do I Need a Coach?

Gerardo Barrios
USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach

When it comes to race results, winning the race or placing in age group competition should not always be the goal. For each athlete there are various goals and objectives set for each race. Hiring a coach is the first step in helping you achieve your goals. Take for example the following ValleyCoach.com athletes:

Ray Barrios set personal bests in the both the bike and run in an Olympic race due to his consistent work in his tempo runs and interval bike workouts.

Varying Your Training Will Yield Results

By Gerardo Barrios

USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach

During the middle months of the triathlon season, many of you have already had an opportunity to have some races under your belt or have some upcoming races. While your results may not have been what you had hoped for earlier, it is never too late in the season to improve. Triathletes can be notorious for keeping a training pattern by doing the same thing week in and week out. If you haven't already done so it is a good time to add interval training, tempo workouts, or hill repeats during these middle months. With any combination of these three types of training, you should be able to see your racing reach the next level.

Summertime Training Tips

By Dr. Lawrence Fong

Summer is a great time to train. There is plenty of sunshine, beautiful weather, and lots of races/events to train for. However, because of potential heat injury and sun damage, there are certain precautions that should be taken. Here are some tips to avoid heat injury.

Comprehensive Coaching

For triathletes, runners and everyday athletes. Providing personal attention for all levels, from beginner to elite.

AtValleyCoach.com you get the experience, expertise, and knowledge of coaches who strive to provide athletes of all levels with theability to reach their goals. We take you from the valley to the peak with personalized coachingwith one goal in mind: you. Our experience with training athletes of all levels we will get you ready for your next big race or get you started on a fitness routine.