In conjunction with the Columbia Triathlon, the Columbia Triathlon Association will host the first Regional Sports Medicine Conference at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel on Friday, May 18th 2007 from 11:30 am until 6:00 pm. The conference will provide up to date information regarding sports and exercise science, common sport related injuries and illness, and will focus on key issues in medical management of the endurance athlete. Dr. Robert Laird, Chief Physician for the Ironman World Championship, will serve as the conference’s Keynote Speaker.  CTA recently has received confirmation that yet additional elite speakers will join its faculty of experts in the field of medical management of the endurance athlete.  For a complete list of speakers and details on the Conference, click on Full Story below. 

McDonald's has signed on to be the title sponsor of the 2007 McDonald's ITU Duathlon World Championships, the Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers has announced. The sponsorship by McDonald's highlights the event's international flavor, with over 500 athletes from over 25 countries expected to compete.
 

The Region has announced its events for the 2007 USAT Mid-Atlantic Junior Development Series.  This year’s Series will consist of six short-course triathlons to be held in the Mid-Atlantic Region.  The Series will  kick off at the Philadelphia Insurance Sprint Triathlon to be held on June 23, 2007.  For more information on the Series and a complete list of Series races, click on Full Story below. 

The Inaugural Black Bear Triathlon will be held June 3, 2007. This event, consisting of a Half Iron distance race and sprint distance race, will take place in the scenic and challenging Pocono Mountains. Both races will start in beautiful Beltzville State Park, just minutes from Jim Thorpe and many other Pocono Mountain Resorts.
The race venue is just over an hour from Philadelphia and New Jersey and within two hours of New York City.
 

Registration for the SheROX Philadelphia Triathlon opened at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 23, 2007.  From the organizers of the highly acclaimed Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon in Fairmount Park, the SheROX Philadelphia Triathlon is a premier women’s triathlon that will take place in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park on Sunday, August 5, 2007.  The race includes a .8K (.5 mile) swim, 25K (15.5 mile) bike and a 5K (3.1 mile) run.  There will be a pre-race expo on Saturday, August 4 featuring women’s health and fitness exhibitors along with triathlon-related activities.
 

The  Columbia Triathlon Association has announced that the 2007 Blackwater Traverse Duathlon, to be held on July 8, 2007 in Cambridge, Maryland, will be a Team USA Qualifier for the 2007 McDonald’s Long Course Duathlon World Championships. The top 3 persons in each age group will qualify for the world championship event.  For more information on the Blackwater Traverse Triathlon, please visit www.tricolumbia.org.

This month, Coach Bill Hauser of Mid-Atlantic Multisport answers a reader’s question about improving performance on the run segment of a triathlon. 
 
Q:  I typically finish both the swim and bike segments of triathlons near the top of my age group.  However, when I get to the run my legs feel awful and I end up getting passed by others the entire way. Do you have any suggestions?
 

Delaware City, Delaware once again played host to the Brandywine Valley Duathlon on Saturday April 14th.This early season classic, consisting of a 5k run, 30k bike and 5k run,  is presented by Delaware based Piranha Sports who kicked off their season in style. This is the first stop of Piranha’s Greater Atlantic Multisport and Greater Atlantic Club Challenge Race series and a favorite of multisport athletes throughout the region.  
 

Best of the US Management is pleased to announce that the inaugural Luray International Triathlon, which will be contested on Saturday, August 18, will host the 2007 “Best of the US ” Virginia Qualifier. The fastest resident amateur male and female finisher will be invited to represent the Old Dominion at the “Best of the US National Championship” on October 6 at Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in Winter Haven, Florida.
 

The main thing that keeps me coming back for more of this sport, year after year, is the people. I preach all the time that people make this sport what it is. When I talk to prospective new triathletes, I stress that they are not merely signing up for an event; they are being adopted by a phenomenally supportive family. Sure, this sport yields an incredible sense of accomplishment to its participants and the health benefits one derives from the physical aspect of racing and training are huge. But it's much more than that.
 

USAT Mid-Atlantic Web Site
http://www.usat-ma.org
 
USA Triathlon Web Site
http://www.usatriathlon.org
 
Mid-Atlantic Region Rankings
http://www.lin-mark.com/new_rank/index.asp
 
Mid-Atlantic Region Club Directory
http://www.usat-ma.org/usatclubsma.htm
 
World Triathlon Corporation (Ironman)
http://www.ironman.com
 
Duathlon.com
http://www.duathlon.com
 
Duathlete Magazine
http://www.du-athlete.net