Scott Tri Carbon Cycling Shoes Review by GEC Elite Kim B

My first thought is that these shoes feel like slippers. My foot seems to fit perfectly and there is no part of the shoe that is uncomfortable.

On further inspection, there are areas in the midsole of the shoe labeled adjustable volume arch and adjustable metatarsal button. I did not take the insoles out and see the underside of these areas until after several rides. They consist of plastic inserts on the underside of the insole which can be removed. The most comfortable set up for me is the default setup with the inserts included. I have flat feet and the raised arches provide good support for me. The adjustable options seem like a good idea to accommodate different feet.
Another feature I was first sceptical of is the small velcro strap at the front of the shoe. My previous triathlon shoe only had one large velcro strap across the middle of the shoe, so I was concerned that I would have to adjust the small strap each time I took off and put the shoe on especially in transitions during a race. However, the small strap is an asset as I can adjust the fit on the front of my shoe but I can take the shoes on and off without touching the small strap. Therefore the shoes are very fast in transition. The carbon fiber base of the shoe provides good transfer of power and the stiffness is not uncomfortable.
The shoe also breathes well and has a thinner mesh on the inside to prevent gravel or other particles from getting into the shoe. My only suggested improvement would be to offer the shoe in a color as the white gets dirty very easily and can make the shoe look older faster. Often when I am riding I forget that I am even riding a bike, which to me says that the bike and shoes fit perfectly.
This is a great pair of shoes that I think will hug my feet for many miles to come! Get yours at Trisports.com and use code GEC-S for 10% off.

Do Not Trust Your Mind by Caryn Nath

Most of 2010, I was on the "injury reserve list " due to a hamstring injury. What I discovered during that time is that injuries are not that fun and they test your mental fortitude, just like training can. Starting this season, I decided to take things slower to build my fitness back up and do more mid-late season races. During my injury, the one sport I that didn't bother me was swimming. Go figure. As a result, I decided that perhaps this was the time to get some lessons and become as efficient as I could in the water.

In January 2011, I started my first swim lesson. To my surprise, I was not as bad as I thought I was. I was told that I would have to work on a few things, like kicking too much (unlike most triathletes, I love to kick and hate to use my arms) and letting my left arm be lazy, but there was hope. I will not lie, it is hard to correct bad habits. The first couple of months every time I did my swim workouts, I was mentally exhausted. I was focusing so hard on having correct form, I barely could complete the workouts.

When I discussed this with my swim coach, he told me I was analyzing my form too much. My response was, "I feel like I am crossing the center line, that I am not finishing my stroke, that I am not rotating enough, etc." He had me swim a couple of laps and imparted these words of wisdom, "you cannot trust your mind." My initial thought was, "WHAT???!!" Then, I thought about it, and he was right. Sometimes when I make something a focus, like learning to swim efficiently, I add pressure on myself to see results quickly instead of trusting in the process and letting things come together naturally.

Once I really accepted that what I think I am doing during my swim workouts may not be what I am actually doing, it took the pressure off. Today, I noticed that I am more efficient than when I started in January. So, maybe there are other areas of my training where I need to think about not trusting my mind.

Custom Training Camp

One area GEC is getting into is setting up camps for athletes at whatever their level. I was approached by an athlete who was new to the sport and wanted a private camp for himself and his training partners.

Can do.

Tim, Tamara, and Kathi showed up on Weds night here in Tucson and between then and Sunday our goal was to team them all we know about getting into the sport of triathlon in a healthy, efficient, effective way.

We did a lot of training in the 4 days. We also sis a lot of talking about all aspects of swimming, cycling, running, transitions, nutrition, strength and core training, injury prevention, and about anything else we could think of. We fit them each on their bikes using the RETUL 3D system. We did blood lactate testing on each bike and run, and spend time each day swimming--including video analysis at the Trisports.com Endless Pool and open water training at Patagonia Lake.

Whew. I'm tired thinking about it and they went through it!

The feedback I received was that they learned a lot, got a lot out of the time with the GEC coaching staff, and will go home motivated and physically and mentally ready for a great season in 2011! And we had a great time getting to know 3 more triathletes and friends.

I've got a great job!

Brian G