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Steel City Endurance Newsletter

Written by Suzanne Atkinson

Short workout, but a great day at the pool today. Where to begin...

I only had 30 minutes to swim before the kids swim team practiced, luckily there was a lane open with no one swimming. Next to me as a guy about my age who looked serious...his form looked pretty good as he cruised up and down the lane making big splashy flip turns at either end.

I sat on the edge of the deck and put on my swim cap and goggles, and set my one swim toy on the deck...my tempo trainer. I looked at the deck at the end of my neighbor's lane...2 kick-boards, huge paddles, fins a pull buoy and an inhaler. I looked back at my tempo trainer and smiled at how uncluttered my deck area was. Uncluttered just like I hoped my mind would be by the end of my swim.

Written by Suzanne Atkinson

I recently completed an intensive one week training course in Coronado, CA to become an official Total Immersion Coach.  This past week was just the beginning of my Total Immersion training, and I look forward to bringing what I learned back to Pittsburgh.  To all my swimmers, I apologize it's taken me so long to get this additional training. I'm am so excited to introduce you to not only the stroke work and mindfulness that I learned, but also the techniques of stroke modulation, finding your gears and tempo training.  You can read about my week in a day by day diary in my blog right here (go to the menu, click on blog, then Total Immersion).  Thanks to all the coaches who helped out, especially Terry Laughlin, Dave Cameron, Kim and Karen

Keep an eye out on the services page for Total Immersion Swim Training lessons and clinics, or email me if you would like to be placed on the short list for Total Immersion training.

   

Written by Suzanne Atkinson

Mike Quigley finishes Leadville 100 Mountain Bike RaceMike Quigley negotiates Leadville 100s Race Across the Sky and earns a silver finisher's buckle and a time of 11:29:30.  Mike began specific training with Steel Ctiy Endurance head coach Suzanne Atkinson six months prior to his main event. Coordinating Mike's family time became one of their biggest challenges in training for the ultra endurance Mountain Bike marathon.  Mike's training plan built a foundation of strong threshold and VO2 max work in the early season, following the "strong before long" periodization philosophy of Steel City Endurance for ultradistance athletes.

As the race became closer, Mike transitioned into longer endurance rides at a moderate paces while he and Coach Suzanne zeroed in on proper 'race pace' for an event whose starting line is at 10,000 feet.  Two weeks before the race, Mike was doing back to back rides of six hours each combined with plenty of climbing work around the short steep hills in Pittsburgh.

The Leadville 100 is a 50 mile out and back course starting in Leadville, CO at an elevation of 10,000 feet and peaking at over 14,000 feet on  the 3000 foot climb to Columbine mine. It was first run in 1984 and is one of the best know ultra marathon mountain bike events.

See the full finishing results of the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race here.

   

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Testimonials

These [trainer workouts] are great! I have been behind the ball on my training this year, I appreciate so much you sending this to me. I actually never had an organized program like this. I just went out and rode my bike not understanding how to get stronger, faster, or gain more power. So thank you for this.

Charlene W, Mountain Bike Racer

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