The USAT – Mid-Atlantic Board of Directors has announced the Agenda for the 2007 USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic Region Annual Meeting, to be held on January 26-27, 2007 at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel in Columbia, Maryland.  This year’s Annual Meeting will feature a Keynote Address by Troy Jacobson, President of Lifesports, Inc., as well as presentations and clinics by various USAT certified coaches, USAT Mid-Atlantic Board Members and newly elected USAT National Board member, Melissa Merson.  The Agenda will also include presentations of All-Regional Awards based on 2006 rankings (see related article below) and 2006 USAT-MA Triathlon Series and USAT Duathlon Series Awards.  The Meeting will also feature an Expo with twenty vendors including multisport stores, health professionals, certified coaches and trainers, race management teams with event information and registrations.  For a complete meeting agenda, please click on Full Story below.

USA Triathlon Mid-Atlantic’s Board of Directors today announced the 2006 All-Regional USA Triathlon and Duathlon Awards.  The athletes selected showed consistent performance and high finishes at USAT-sanctioned events throughout the Mid-Atlantic region during the last competitive season. More than one hundred and fifty USAT members received this recognition.  For a complete list of award winners, please click on Full Story below. 
 
 

The USAT-MA Board of Directors announced this week the complete slate of Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships and other important events in the eight-state area.  Bob Wendling, Chairperson of the Regional Championship Selection Committee, noted that the Committee received more bids than ever before for its Championship races and that there was some very stiff competition for slots, particularly the designation for 2007 Club Regional Championship (see related article below).
 
For a complete list of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships and other significant USAT Events to be held in the Mid-Atlantic Region in 2007, click on Full Story below.
 

The USAT – Mid-Atlantic Board of Directors announced this past week its selection of the North East Triathlon to host the Mid-Atlantic Club Championship, to be held in North East, Maryland, on August 26, 2007.  The Board’s selection was eagerly awaited by clubs from around the Region. The Region’s more than 45 clubs have been a powerful force in the sport, and have played a significant role in the sport’s explosive growth in the past several years. 
 

Former Regional Board member Melissa Merson is now a member of USAT’s National Board of Directors and was recently elected Vice President of the National Board.  We are fortunate enough to have Melissa provide us with a National Report focusing on recent USAT happenings at the national level.  This month, Melissa reports on the recent 2007 USAT Annual Triathlon Congress that took place the weekend of January 13 -14, 2007 in Colorado Springs.
   
 

The Mid-Atlantic Region is pleased to announce its 2007 Mid-Atlantic Youth/Junior Triathlon Development Series.  This Series will offer a safe and exciting way for young people to develop lifelong fitness habits.  Youth triathlons (ages 13-15) and junior triathlons (ages 16-19) provide an age appropriate experience for our youngest members.  These races will give teenage athletes an opportunity to compete with their peers in sprint distance triathlons.
 

 
This month, Coach Bill Hauser of Mid-Atlantic Multisport answers a running-related question submitted by one of our readers. 
 
Q: Many of my triathlete and runner friends start their season off in early spring by incorporating hill repeats into their running program once a week.  What is the reason for doing hill repeats at this particular time of year and what should a typical "hill repeat" workout include? 

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. 
 
 

CGI Racing has announced a new half Iron distance triathlon that will take place in the scenic and challenging Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. A sprint distance event will also be offered.  The Inaugural Black Bear Triathlon will be held on June 3, 2007 in beautiful Beltzville State Park, just minutes from Jim Thorpe and many other Pocono Mountain Resorts.  The race site is just over an hour from Philadelphia and New Jersey and within two hours of New York City.
 
 

Richmond Multisports has announced its race calendar for 2007.  This year’s events include the inaugural Robious Landing Sprint Triathlon, which will take place in and along the James River in Chesterfield County, Virginia.  Registration for all Richmond Multisports races will open Jan 22, 2007.
 

“Ed Malloy from Sewell New Jersey ….. YOU are an IRONMAN”. For multisport junkies everywhere, there is no sweeter sound than that. The sound of Ironman race announcer, Mike Riley’s voice, bringing you across the finish line of an Ironman race and to the coveted promised land. Ed Malloy has heard the sound of that voice 5 times since turning to triathlon in 2001.
 
 

The ALS Spin-A-Thon is coming to Southern Connecticut. In October of 2005, Jon Blais (Blazeman) became the first person with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) to finish an Ironman. The Blazeman Foundation is now calling upon endurance athletes all over the world to the join Blazeman and his "War on ALS" by spinning to raise awareness and much needed funds for ALS medical research.  The Connecticut event is Saturday, February 10, from 1-3PM at the New Canaan YMCA in Studio B.   For more information, and for other dates and locations, please visitwww.spinforals.com
 

In its ongoing effort to protect the health and welfare of its membership, USA Triathlon is excited to announce that it has secured voluntary benefits through Adventure Advocates and Assurant Health that are immediately available to all current and renewing USA Triathlon members.
 
Current USA Triathlon members without health insurance or those who are having difficulty affording high premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, are encouraged to learn more about these member exclusive benefits.

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