Largest participant field in history gathers for The Most Scenic Triathlon in Texas
The Kerrville Triathlon Festival marked its 12th year this past weekend on September 23-24, 2023. A record setting 2,100 triathletes from 27 states, an all-time high for the event, flocked to the scenic backdrop of Kerrville, Texas. As with previous years, the breathtaking course featured swimming in Nimitz Lake, cycling through the iconic Texas Hill Country, and running along the picturesque Guadalupe River.
The sold out Kerrville Triathlon Expo served as the starting point of the weekend, where participants picked up their race packets. The festival had races spanning across both Saturday and Sunday, starting with the Rookie and Sprint Distance events on Saturday. The event saw more than 350 volunteers, each receiving a special appreciation package, contributing to the success of the festival.
“We’re immensely proud of how the Kerrville Triathlon Festival has grown over the years,” said race director Stacy Keese. “The record turnout this year underscores the appeal of the sport and the allure of the Kerrville scenery. We’re committed to delivering an exceptional experience for participants, and it’s heartening to see this sentiment reflected in the growing numbers.”
Post-race, participants reveled in the offerings of fajitas, refreshments, and cold beer from EIGHT beer. They also had the chance to unwind in the soothing waters of the Guadalupe River. To keep the momentum going for the next year, Kerrville Tri announced special Launch pricing for 2024, available until October 10th.
Stewart Mickler, who also led each day’s warm up as part of the Austin Tri Club, shared, “Each year, the Kerrville Triathlon outdoes itself. The organization, the course, the community support – it’s truly unparalleled.”
The champions for this year’s events are as follows:
Rookie Distance: Alex Flynn secured the top spot for men with a time of 01:09:15, while Mary Nunnally led the women, finishing in 01:12:07.
Sprint Distance: Ben Rawson took the title for men in 01:05:20, with Anjelica Barrientos clinching the women’s title in 01:09:17.
Quarter Distance: Michael Neugebauer and Desiree Wells were victorious in the men’s and women’s categories with times of 02:23:29 and 02:29:53, respectively.
Half Distance: William Flynn dominated with a time of 03:58:00, and Sierra Snyder Elcock reigned supreme for the women in 04:39:29.
The Kerrville Triathlon wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to the City of Kerrville, Kerrville Fire Department, Kerrville Police Department, Kerr County Sheriff’s Department, Kerrville Parks and Recreation, Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau, our wonderful volunteers and sponsors including Peterson Health, H-E-B, GU Energy Labs, Nuun Hydration, evamor, Fleet Feet Austin, EIGHT Light Larger, Super Coffee, Texas Drain Specialist, Jack and Adam’s Bicycles Fredericksburg, Mamacista’s,Hill Country Bicycle Works, Gatorade, and Peak Fitness.
Multiple Event Opportunities in 2023 for Those Seeking Part Time Work
High Five Events, one of the largest privately owned event production companies in the United States, is offering a recruitment event for potential part time staff at the High Five Events office on January 5, 2023 at 6:30 PM in Austin, Texas.
Everyone is welcome to attend the session. It will offer the opportunity for interested people to learn the basics of working part time at High Five Events. There will be an opportunity for Q&A and to meet some full and part time staff.
“Our part time staff is crucial to the success of each one of our multiple events,” said Dan Carroll, co-owner of High Five Events. “This is a great opportunity for those interested in event production, learning more about the behind-the-scenes of running and triathlon events, and also for extra income or to meet new people.”
No previous event experience is required, but willingness to work outside and on weekends is necessary for successful applicants. Part time staff join the crew for the weekend days of the event, but many will work during the week leading up to the event as well.
Below is the calendar of events for 2023 part time work:
3M Half Marathon – January 22
Ascension Seton Austin Marathon – February 19
Statesman Cap10K – April 16
CapTex Tri – May 29
Livestrong Challenge – September 10
Kerrville Triathlon Festival – September 23 & 24
For those interested in becoming part of the crew, please complete this form to provide your contact information and if you will attend the session.
The competitive nature of triathlons and the amount of physical effort it requires brings drastic changes in people who participate. Triathlon training is a life-changing experience as it reshapes and enhances multiple aspects of an individual’s life.
Let’s discuss how triathlon training can be beneficial for your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being:
Perfect workout regime
Triathlon training proves to be an excellent full-body workout regime. The cross-modal training for a triathlon involves intense exercise for your muscles. While swimming tones muscles of your upper body, cycling and running strengthen your lower body.
The best way to lose weight
The passion-driven training helps you to burn unhealthy body fat. Consequently, you lose weight in a natural way. Triathlon training makes you fitter and strengthens your muscles as well.
Feel energetic
The rise in physical activity in your life will boost your overall energy level. It will augment your physical wellness. Training for triathlon aids you in reestablishing your connection with your body. You become full of positive energy and start to feel productive every day.
Amazing health benefits
Triathlon training is known for its preventive and curative effect on various lifestyle-related ailments. There are numerous anecdotes of people gaining relief from heart diseases, diabetes, anxiety, obesity, and hypertension by going through triathlon training sessions. The rigorous cross-training keeps you physically and mentally healthy.
Gain confidence
Triathlon is an interesting but challenging sport. Finishing each triathlon event gives you a sense of achievement. This in turn makes you feel confident about yourself.
Handle stress better than before
Continuous exposure to physical activity and a competitive environment makes you resilient. Trainees learn the art of staying composed in stressful situations. This art is immensely helpful even beyond the racecourse of the triathlon.
Stay motivated
The sense of achievement that comes with triathlon training also helps you to stay motivated. You can do several activities while training for a triathlon instead of sticking to a constant regime. This never lets you feel bored and gets you going.
Be an inspiration for others
You can bring positive changes in the lives of those around you. They may get inspired by your journey of triathlon training.
Sense of fulfillment
Training in triathlon makes you feel like you are on a mission. It enables you to stay focused and happy. The excitement and competitive spirit of the triathlon enhance the sense of purpose.
Triathlon training fills you with positivity by improving your physical and mental health. The extensive training develops a sense of responsibility, leadership quality and time management skills. It is a door of opportunities to understand yourself and have a life-changing experience to make yourself the best.
During training, you don’t have the luxury of aid stations like you do on race day. As if you needed another reason to love race day, hydration on course has always been a fan favorite. However, during training runs it is critical to stay properly hydrated. Make sure you carry hydration with you on your runs. If you’ve just started training make sure you follow these tips to keep your training running smoothly.
Try one of the options below to carry hydration on your next run. There are links below where you can order these items or you can visit our friends at Fleet Feet Austin!
Handheld Bottle
Using a handheld bottle on the run is an easy start to carrying hydration with you on your run. There are options to have a hard bottle or soft flask handheld. The harder bottle retains its shape and usually has more insulation. The soft flask is lighter and has the option to fit in a pocket when empty. The main con to a handheld is that one of your hands will be occupied by physically holding onto the bottle as you run.
Pro tip: It is a good idea to switch up which hand is holding the bottle during your run.
Water Vest or Backpack
Needing to carry more water than what can fit in a handheld, or would like your hands to be free? A water vest or backpack is a great option. The weight of the water vest/ pack is distributed more evenly through the torso, which allows for a more symmetrical weight distribution while running. These options also have extra storage to include nutrition or your phone during your run.
When deciding between a vest or a backpack think of how you want it to fit and where you want your water storage at.
- Vest
- A hugging fit. It keeps things close to your body for a tighter fit that reduces bounce.
- Bottles in the front pockets and option for hydration bladder in the back.
- Backpack
- Fit is more relaxed.
- Bigger hydration bladder capacity. Some have options for a bottle in the front
Pro tip: Always be conscious of how a vest/pack rubs on the inside of your arms and neck/shoulder areas. Any bit of uncomfortable chafing will be multiplied by sweat and miles, so choose wisely. Try Body Glide anti-chafing cream!
Water Bottle Waist Belt 
If you want your hands free and don’t like the idea of carrying more weight through your torso a waist belt is worth a try. We like SPIbelt’s Distance Pro because the two, 8-ounce bottles can be placed anywhere on the elastic, allowing runners to maximize comfort. This running belt is built for durability and can keep up with your longest runs.
The belt pocket expands to hold larger smartphones, including the iPhone12 Pro Max, and Galaxy S20 Ultra, as well as keys, ID, and more. The elastic on this belt is 1.5″ wide, 50% broader than the Original SPIbelt.
Everyone’s preference is personal to what feels best for them to carry hydration. Test out what works best for you.
Biggest pro tip of all: Stay hydrated and have some fun!
Triathlon swimming is different from competitive swimming. You’re in open water with a bunch of triathletes on the same mission: to reach the end of the swim as quickly, efficiently, and safely as possible. The distance of the swim will help you determine which swim stroke style you should work on during training to do your best on race day. Your current skill level in the water is also important to factor in. Keep reading to see the benefits of learning multiple swim strokes during your training for your upcoming tri. Also, don’t forget to check out these fun but challenging swim workouts.
Why Different Swim Strokes Matter
In open water racing, you’ll find yourself having to swerve around other athletes. You may also have to stop quickly to avoid getting kicked and make tight turns around buoy markers. Adding in new strokes for just one of your workouts per week will make a difference in being able to react to these circumstances in an efficient way. Not only that, using different strokes will cause you to use different ranges of motion resulting in less strain to particular muscles and more of a complete shoulder and chest workout.
Freestyle Stroke
Freestyle is the best-known swim style stroke, and the most common stroke we see out at Kerrville Tri, it’s the most efficient swim stroke you can learn. It takes you farther than other strokes without expending more energy. Freestyle also gives you a full-body workout. It works the muscles in your arms, legs, core, and back. If you are looking for a particular swimming stroke to strengthen your back muscles, freestyle is definitely the way to go. Although the most efficient stroke, it can also be difficult to master. One of the most important things to focus on during training is your breathing. You can practice this by using the flutter kick while holding a kickboard out in front of you and practice rotating your face in and out of the water to breathe until you’ve established a rhythm you can replicate in the open water.
Click here to learn more about the freestyle stroke
Backstroke
Backstroke is rarely used during a triathlon, but it is a great stroke to incorporate into your training because it helps your shoulders unwind after sticking with one specific stroke for a while. This stroke is great for improving hip rotation. It also works your shoulder flexibility in the opposite way from freestyle. Depending on the length of your swim, mastering backstroke is always a great alternative to have up your sleeve. Your face stays out of the water, so you can breathe whenever you want. Backstroke is extremely useful when you need a bit of a rest period or if the water is choppy on race day.
Click here to learn more about the backstroke
Breaststroke
Breastroke is the perfect swim stroke style for building strength in your hands by using them as paddles. This will translate into a stronger pull in freestyle. It’s a great way to switch things up and focus on different muscle groups. If you’re hesitant to hold your breath, breaststroke is great because you breathe every stroke. You can also complete this stroke without having to put your face in the water. Some argue breaststroke is the slowest swimming stroke, which may be a con for people who prefer speed. This stroke can be done for longer periods of time, so it can serve as an endurance workout. It’s a good alternative to your regular stroke as a way to mix in some cardio and burn a lot of calories in a session.
Click here to learn more about the breaststroke
Butterfly Stroke
If you’re looking to challenge yourself in the water, the butterfly is the way to go. This stroke was named after the movement in which you move your arms and is great for strengthening your core. This is important to triathlon because a strong core aids in swimming, cycling, and running. Butterfly requires a great deal of strength and coordination that takes time to develop. Not only does is this stroke a great workout to build abdominal strength, but it also strengthens your shoulders and chest. Each stroke requires that your core muscles have enough power to pull your arms over the water. Just a few laps of butterfly leaves you feeling its effects and burns the most calories of any swimming stroke.
Click here to learn more about the butterfly stroke
Keep in Mind:
Although your goal may be to complete the distance as fast as possible, you have to pace yourself. Triathlon requires you to be as efficient as you can in order to save energy for the bike and run later on. Incorporating different swim strokes into your training builds strength in other muscle groups, reduces the risk of injury, and breaks the repetitiveness in your swim sets. In the meantime, try these ways to stay motivated to keep up with your tri training and we’ll see you in Kerrville in no time!
Bike frame materials breakdown
If you’re in the market for a new bike, you might be overwhelmed with the different types of bike frame materials from which you can choose. Be prepared; know the type of bike you want and what you want it to do. When researching online or speaking with a dealer you need to be prepared with as much knowledge as possible. Comfort, weight, corrosion, and repairability are major factors to consider when searching for your next bike. Read our list of pros and cons for different bike frame materials. This will come in handy when purchasing your first bike or upgrading from your current ride!
STEEL
Pros:
• comfortable
• absorbs shock
• durable
• repairable
• “skinny tubes” = classic looking
• can be almost as light as titanium
Cons:
• heavier than aluminum
• rusts if not maintained
• “skinny tubes” = old school
ALUMINUM
Pros:
• can be very lightweight
• new aluminum is more comfortable
• resists corrosion, does not rust
• stiff for good energy transfer
Cons:
• the low end has a harsher ride than steel
• not as repairable as steel
CARBON FIBER
Pros:
• very comfortable
• stiff for good energy transfer
• does not rust
• “cool factor” and
• can be expensive
• hard to repair
TITANIUM
Pros:
• comfortable, similar to steel
• does not rust or corrode
• lightweight
• durable
Cons:
• usually more expensive
• difficult to repair due to the strength of the material
On race day there are many things that happen that are out of your control: that unusually fast guy in your age group, the weather, water temperature, etc. But you can prepare for things that are under your control like the condition of your bicycle.
It is best to get a tune up on your bicycle and have the mechanic check all your components anywhere from a month to 2 weeks before the event. Being prepared and knowing that your bike is race ready will also help calm any pre-race nervousness that you may have.
Things that are checked during a tune-up:
- Wash & Degrease Drivetrain
- Adjust Gears
- Adjust Brakes
- True Wheels
- Hardware Safety Check
- Bearing Adjustments
- Chain relube
When it comes to where to go for your tune-up, we have a few suggestions as well.
City Limit Cycles
James Balentine is the man behind City Limit Cycles, a mobile bike repair service. His service experience is built around a lifetime passion for all things cycling. He’s been a pro racer, a pro mechanic and pro level bike geek. Through it all, he brings a high level of professionalism and attention to detail. Now a world-class bike mechanic comes to your door so you can focus on what you love most – more saddle time.
Jack & Adam’s Fredericksburg
Josh Allen started this hill country location of the famous Jack & Adam’s Bicycles in 2014. Jack & Adam’s Fredericksburg specializes in carrying triathlon gear and has a full-service department to meet your needs. As a true cyclist destination, he even has a guest house where you can stay right behind the shop in downtown Fredericksburg. Josh will also have a pop-up shop at the Kerrville Expo so be sure to stop by a talk shop.
Hill Country Bicycle Works
Hill Country Bicycle Works has been serving the Texas hill country in 2 locations since 1995. The owners, Adam and Lisa, rode their bicycles around the world for 3 years- (30,000 miles 17 countries on 4 continents from 1992- 1995) finding the beauty of the hill country a perfect place to open a bike shop!
With over 70 years of bike shop experience between them, they have a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of bicycle riding, touring, advocacy, trail building, event promotion, racing and bicycle repair.
Wetsuits Care Instructions
Wetsuits are as big of an investment as they are helpful in the water. That is why proper care is important. Share on X
By following these simple wetsuit care steps you will extend the life of your investment.
- Wetsuits can be used in all open water conditions. You should not use your wetsuit in a chlorinated swimming pool. Over time the
chlorine will damage the seams and degrade the fabric of the suit. No matter the water, you should always rinse your suit in clean cool water after each use. - To preserve the life of the wetsuit always store your wetsuit lying flat or hanging in a dry place on a thick plastic hanger. Wetsuits can be heavy so make sure the hanger is sturdy, you don’t want to find your wetsuit crumpled up at the bottom of a closet.
- Make sure your wetsuit is completely dry before you put it away or it will mildew and STINK! You can turn your wetsuit inside out to help it dry faster. Never leave your wetsuit out in the sun to dry.
- Periodically wash your wetsuit with wetsuit shampoo. This will keep the integrity of the fabric as well as keep it from becoming mildewy and stinky.
- Only use approved lubricates when putting on your wetsuit. Like chlorine, unapproved lubricants can degrade the fabric and will have your wetsuit falling apart at the seams. Petroleum jelly (Vasaline) or any other petroleum-based product will literally eat holes in your suit lining.
- If you have to travel with your wetsuit, fold as stated below. Having fold seams and a crumpled suit will
lead to more likely tearing when you are putting the suit on. :Fold up legs half way up.
- Fold arms over in an X
- Fold the remaining legs over the arms and torso.
- Unfold when you get where you are traveling.