Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

  Over the past few years, I’ve been drawn to races that demand more than fitness. I love events that require patience, resilience, problem-solving, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. Over the years, I've completed 7-stage Haute Route Alps, 8-stage Cape Epic, XTRI Canadaman, XTRI Icon, and XTRI Norseman. Each of these events have challenged me physically and mentally and in ways that are difficult to describe unless you've experienced them yourself. In 2024 and 2025, I finished my season by racing Ironman Chattanooga. A race (and distance) that feels very predictable and familiar to me. While I absolutely love the race and the venue, I knew I wanted to race something extreme in 2026. I’ve had my eye on Embrunman for the past few years and last fall, Karel and I decided that it was time for me to finally cross this event off my bucket list. Unlike the self-supported nature of many extreme triathlons, Embrunman is a true race from start to finish. There isn't a hike up...

Preparing for a triathlon is much more than registering for a race and training to improve fitness. Sport nutrition plays an important role in race day readiness. Whether you are traveling to compete in a full distance triathlon or participating in a local sprint triathlon, dialing in your race day nutrition is key.How you fuel during a race primarily depends on the duration of the event, the weather and your racing intensity. No matter your experience, proper fueling will help you maximize your performance without compromising your health. While you may be able to get away with a haphazard sport nutrition strategies (or not fueling at all) during your workouts, an enjoyable race day means avoiding these common performance limiters - extreme fatigue, cramping, dehydration, gastrointestinal issues. Because proper sport nutrition should be part of your training and not something you only do a few times per month (or in the two weeks before your race), I'm providing some easy 'get...

  A few days after finishing IM 70.3 Florida, Karel was itching to race again. He enjoys racing a lot more than training so his ideal strategy is to race himself into great fitness. Knowing that our athlete and good friend Alvi was racing an Olympic distance triathlon just outside of Atlanta two weeks after IM 70.3 Florida, Karel decided to join him (I stayed home with the furry kids).  After a solid night of sleep on Thursday (allowing extra time to sleep in knowing that race night is never a good for sleeping), Karel had his daily pre-workout oatmeal before heading out on the tri bike for an hour ride. He followed it up with a 20 minute treadmill run. I packed up a cooler and bag of food for him (also booked them a hotel with a microwave and fridge) and he left around 11:30am to pick up Alvi.  Knowing that they had a long drive ahead (well, only a planned 3-hour drive but one that included Atlanta traffic), Alvi made sure to bring along some pastries. And if you ever wa...

  This picture was from our last triathlon - waaaay back in October at the Ironman World Championship.  After all of our registered events were cancelled, I didn't have much confidence that we would be racing in 2020. Not too long ago in mid-summer, we heard that a USAT sanctioned race was happening just 63 miles away. We kept it on our radar as a possible race option. We waited until 2 weeks before the event before we made the decision to register (which we did last week) and now we can finally say that it is race week!  Karel and I will be participating in the Tugaloo Olympic distance triathlon on Saturday - September 12th, 2020 along with eight of our athletes. I guess we could call this a team race - yippee! Knowing that we are still in a pandemic and the race experience is a bit different, here are a few of my thoughts going into this race:  I have extreme gratitude for the local community, race director and event staff for putting on this race.  We are ta...

Sandwiched between the swim and run, the bike portion of the triathlon is the longest discipline in both time and distance. With nearly 50% of your race time spent on two wheels, insufficient skills and not enough time in the saddle will cost you valuable time and energy on race day.   Proper bike training will not only help you get faster on the bike but you ’ ll minimize the effect of cycling on your running legs. When it comes to triathlon gear and equipment, cycling is by far the most expensive discipline. Plus, training outdoors has its hazards, especially when you are sharing the road with cars, pedestrians, and nature. For these reasons, many triathletes don ’ t train properly, or spend a considerable amount of time cycling indoors. At the end of the day, preparation for the bike portion of a triathlon is about having the right equipment, doing the right training, and constantly working to improve your bike handling skills. The cycling culture may look intimid...

Triathlon swimming is much more different than swimming in a pool. The training, swim stroke and demands of triathlon swimmers is very different than that of the competitive pool swimmer. Inefficient stroke habits in the pool will come at a cost in the open water. Recognizing the challenges of the open water triathlon swim (rough water, crowds, no lane lines), triathlon swim training should emphasize technique, strength, stamina and power. If you lack a swimming background, you may notice that your current fitness level doesn ’ t translate easily to swimming. Unlike the experienced swimmer, who has a fishlike ability to slice through the water, if you are inexperienced and try to swim fast, you ’ ll quickly feel exhausted and out of breath. And since improvements are slow to make and getting yourself to the pool can be a logistical challenge, triathlon swim training is usually the first to go for the time-crunched triathlete. The most basic swimming skill to master...

For the past fourteen years, I’ve called myself a triathlete. Prior to embarking on this incredibly fun multisport lifestyle, I participated in running events. Before that phase, I dedicated over ten years of my life to competitive swimming. While  in college, I heard about a local triathlon event. I welcomed it as a challenging new training adventure and a way to meet other people. Here's a picture of me smiling my way through my first sprint distance triathlon. I had no idea what I was doing but I found a way to get to the finish line.  Triathlon has allowed me to travel to new places, develop long-lasting friendships and discover my unique talents and strengths. Triathlon also has a wonderful way of teaching you many valuable life lessons. Regardless of your background, triathlon is an everybody sport. Like myself, maybe you swam in college and miss the camaraderie of being part of a squad. Perhaps past running injuries have made you tri-curious. Or, m...

The other day I was chatting with a friend and I told her that there was no way that I would have been able to write my new book, Athlete to Triathlete , six years ago. Even though I've been a triathlon coach for over 13 years, several things have changed over the years that have helped me become better coach triathletes and understand the sport of triathlon. For example, on Pg. 35 of my book, I address several factors that can place an athlete at risk for a performance setback. Setbacks are no fun. They are frustrating, distracting and depressing.  While motivation and excitement can help you show up to a training session, as an athlete, it's your responsibility to be an active participant in all aspects of your life. Seeing that lifestyle choices impact your training, your athletic success is built on great body-mind awareness. In my book, I will help you train smarter and improve the odds of maintaining consistency with your training, all while building confidence for ra...

When I participated in my very first triathlon (2003), I knew little about the sport. As a collegiate swimmer, I felt extremely comfortable with the pool swim but the bike portion was super scary for me. I had a little experience with running so I was so relieved when my feet finally hit the pavement for final leg of the triathlon. I was equally exhausted and thrilled at what I had accomplished by finishing a sprint distance triathlon. It just seemed so crazy to me that my body could cover the distance of a sprint triathlon and that I did it by swimming, biking and then running.   One year later in 2004, I participated in an Olympic distance triathlon. I had just graduated from college and I was a few weeks away from traveling to Florida for graduate school. I owned a hybrid bike and helmet but my triathlon equipment list was minimal - running shoes, swim suit, goggles and a bike (with a kick stand). In 2005, I participated in my first marathon. I was in gr...

Many athletes waste precious time in the transition area. It's not a place for rest, high-fives, hugs or taking in calories but instead, a place where you transition quickly from one sport to the next. Transitions offer a unique opportunity to save time without much physical cost. However, for many triathletes, the transition area brings great physical and emotional stress as it is an unfamiliar component of triathlon racing that is only performed just a few times per year - on race day. Stressing about your transition area layout, the order that you will put on your gear and who's around you will only give you added frustration, anxiety and energy. Here are a few tips for a smooth and quick transition: Create an auto­pilot plan ­- You need a repeatable plan that requires little thought. Write out your plan from swim to bike and then bike to run in advance. Do not ignore any details. Create order to your plan so that your transitions are smooth and effective. Continue...

I've been filled with emotions over the past week after learning of the passing of Bethany Rutledge. Bethany passed away in her sleep while taking a nap. Bethany was a leader, mentor and hero in the Atlanta triathlon community. Far and wide, anyone who met Bethany could instantly see her love for triathlon, her twin boys, her husband/family, writing, dogs and life. To learn more about Bethany, here are a few beautifully written letters: Remembering Bethany Remembering Bethany - Triathlete Magazine Obituary Times like this really shake me up. While the loss of a loved one can change your life, it can also change the way that you live your life. Ever since my dad passed away in 2014, I've made a conscious effort to live each day to the fullest. Regardless of the day or what obstacles I have to overcome, tasks I need to complete or how I am feeling, I try to live the day as if it is my last. Knowing that I can't quit my job and travel the world with Karel and Campy, there ...