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Look your best in your Kerrville Tri race day photos with these great tips
Lights, camera, action! 📸 In the thrilling world of triathlons, every heartbeat, every pedal stroke, every determined stride is a moment worth capturing. Whether it’s your first race at the Kerrville Triathlon Festival or you’re a seasoned pro, nailing that perfect race photo becomes part of the victory. But how do you freeze those split seconds of glory into a frame? You’ve trained hard for the race; now it’s time to make sure the camera catches you at your best! Dive into our insider tips and tricks, and let’s make those race photos as epic as your performance. 🏊♂️🚴♀️🏃♂️
Swim
1. Think about your form
Looking good, heading into transition at Kerrville Tri
We have professional photographers out along the racecourse to capture your best moments throughout the triathlon. Since you know photographs are being taken, attempt to tighten up your form during the swim. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how awesome a mid-swim photo of yourself can be!
2. Be ready to Smile
As you are making your way out of the water into T1, you can count on one of our amazing photographers to be there to capture the moment. Pro tip: smile BIG! We love seeing our participants having a great time moving on to the next portion of the tri, and these are often some of the coolest photos we get from Kerrville Tri!
Bike
1. Check your positioning
Flash a quick thumbs up to the camera when you see it along the bike portion!
Bike photos are an awesome chance to get a great close-up race picture. However, no photo is worth losing control of your bike. We know everyone has their favorite riding position to be in when in the saddle. Rather than changing the position you’re comfortable with, simply give the photographer a smile or a thumbs up when you cruise past them! You’ll be very impressed at how they turn out. Keep your eyes on the road and flash the photographer a smile when you pass them by!
Run
1. Position your bib in T2
To make sure your personalized bib can be seen in your race photos, place it in the front-center of your race tri suit or shirt. This is also important for the automated photosystems to use this to tag your photos. This way you don’t have to sift through thousands of photos to try and find yourself, FinisherPix will do it for you!
2. Stand Tall
After the swim and bike portion, we know you’ll feel tired throughout the run course. This is when we tend to let our shoulders fall forward. But, when you see the photographers up ahead, stand up a little taller! No matter how you feel on the inside, this is a sure way to make you look effortless during the run portion.
3. Lengthen your stride
Look at that stride!
Elongate the appearance of your legs by lengthening your stride for a couple of steps when you see a camera! You don’t want to do this for the entire run portion of Smokin’ Good Tri, but it won’t hurt for a couple of photos when you catch a glimpse of the camera (not to mention, you’ll love how long your legs will look in these photos)
4. Relax your face and think positive
We know, easier said than done, but start practicing now when you go out for your training runs. Make your cheeks soft and say the word “Money.” Give it a try in the mirror and see for yourself. Hopefully, you’ll already be smiling from all the fun you’re having during the triathlon, but when you see a photographer ahead of you relax your face and enjoy yourself! We can assure you, the pictures are bound to turn out fantastic! Giving the photographer a thumbs up, about to cross the finish line!
5. Have fun!
This is by far the most important thing to remember if you want some incredible race photos. If you’re having a good time, it’ll show in the pictures. The photographers are there to capture your accomplishments, so the most important thing to remember is to have fun! You’ll be able to look back at these photos forever, so it’s important to make the most out of your experience.
And there you have it! Your comprehensive guide to looking your best in every snap from start to finish at the Kerrville Triathlon Festival. 📸 Whether it’s a poised swim shot, a dynamic bike capture, or a triumphant run moment, these tips are your secret sauce to memorable race photos. Don’t forget, your biggest asset is the joy of the race itself – let it shine through, and the camera will do the rest. Ready to immortalize your incredible achievement? Pre-order your photos now with FinisherPix and lock in that great discounted price. See you at the finish line, smiling and ready for your close-up! 🏁 🎉
Follow these steps, and get ready to look your best in all your Kerrville Tri race day photos! Pre-order your photos now with FinisherPix to get a great discounted price!
Now’s the time to take advantage of Special Launch Pricing for the 2021 Kerrville Triathlon
Registration is open for the 2021 Kerrville Triathlon Festival, also known as The Most Scenic Triathlon in Texas. The popular destination triathlon is produced by High Five Events. It’ll celebrate its 10th anniversary on September 25-26th, in Kerrville, Texas. In 2019, more than 1800 triathletes competed in eight different events that included a swim course in Nimitz Lake, bike course through the Texas Hill Country, and run course along the Guadalupe River. Special Launch Pricing for The Most Scenic Triathlon in Texas is currently available for all events.
“The Kerrville Triathlon continues to grow, exposing more triathletes to the Most Scenic Triathlon in Texas and the welcoming City of Kerrville,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “We look forward to another banner year while showcasing the beauty of the Texas Hill Country.”
Something for triathletes of all levels
2021 Kerrville Triathlon’s Open Division allows participants to begin regardless of age, with a mass swim start. Open Division participants are not eligible for age-group awards. Everyone else starts the swim in their division based on their age group, with two participants entering the water every few seconds. Age-group awards are given in five-year increments. Kerrville Tri also features Athena and Clydesdale categories. Aquabike and relay options are available too. The relay team can consist of two or three members. Aquabike completes the swim and the bike only.
Athletes will receive a belt buckle finisher’s medal, customized shirts, reusable custom water bottles, personalized race bibs, swim caps, a post-race meal, fruit, snacks, beer, and an opportunity to float in the Guadalupe River. Kerrville Tri is a USAT-sanction event, provides professional timing, and offers professional photography. A great volunteer crew and hundreds of supportive spectators make race day memorable for everyone involved.
Weekend full of distances
The Debra Zapata Sprint distance, sprint relay, and kids fun run take place on Saturday, Sept. 25th. Quarter distance, quarter aquabike, half distance, half aquabike, and half relay will all happen on Sunday, Sept. 26th. Participants can pick up their packet at the Kerrville Triathlon Expo and Packet Pickup at the host hotel, Inn of the Hills. The expo and packet pickup, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Friday, Sept. 24th, and Saturday, Sept. 25th. Special Launch Pricing for all events follows: Debra Zapata Sprint ($79), sprint aquabike ($79), sprint relay ($159), quarter ($129), quarter aquabike ($129), half ($199), half aquabike ($199), half relay ($279), kids fun run (free).
Triathletes who can’t make it to the event can still participate through Kerrville Tri’s Virtual Challenge. Participants can complete the distances on their own time at their preferred locations. Virtual challenge participants will have until September 19th to complete the distances and submit their results.
As part of the updated policies for 2021, Kerrville Triathlon will offer free deferral to participants if a government entity issues a ban on mass gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic that would prevent this event from occurring.
Build your endurance and become a better runner when you increase your run mileage
It’s been said that running is addictive. It’s also the final leg of triathlon, when you’re most exhausted. We want to go fast, push the boundaries, and better our overall time. Running longer distances is one way to learn about mental fortitude and finish your next triathlon strong. With swimming and cycling, your goal to increase your run mileage can be overwhelming when you look at the goal by itself. But we’re here to help every step of the way! Follow our guidelines and the tips below for the best way to increase your run mileage. It’s the best way to grow as a runner, reduce the chance of injury, and work towards your big goal! Pro tip: build this into your overall training plan for optimum results. Pro tip: get a new pair of shoes before you increase your run mileage if your current pair has too many miles.
Do the work – (EVERY DAY)
This is self-explanatory! Whether it’s a rest day or your longest run ever, you have to do the work. You don’t need to set records or PR every time, but you do need to be consistent. That’s how you’ll build your running stamina and teach your body to run further and further. If there’s a day where you just can’t squeeze in a run or workout (because life happens), don’t stress. Don’t try to make it up the next day. Squeeze in a foam roll or stretch session if you can and keep moving forward with your plan! Pro tip: check out these 6 motivational tips if you need a boost.
REST – (1-2 times per week)
If your training plan calls for a rest day, TAKE THE REST DAY. This allows your body the chance to recover from the previous swim, bike, or run. If you get the itch to do something, make it active recovery. Foam roll throughout the day. Set aside time for deep stretching. Take an online yoga class. Those three options will speed up the recovery process and get you ready for the next day.
Build your running stamina – (2-3 times per week)
As you increase your run mileage, you learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Every new long run represents a new PR for your longest run. As you hit new distances, it’s important to remain focused on form and technique. Don’t get sloppy! Remain as efficient as possible at the end of your run. Focusing on your form will allow you to generate power efficiently. This will also help with your body’s ability to consume oxygen. Brick workouts are another great way to build your stamina. Running after cycling or swimming will introduce your body to running when you’re tired. Brick workouts will prepare you for race day.
Increase body strength – (2-3 times per week)
You’ll need to prepare your body for running longer and longer distances. Break up running workouts with weight workouts. You don’t need heavy weights. Focus on lighter weights with higher repetitions. You want to push the body, burn fat, and build lean muscle. Working muscles differently than when you’re running is critical. It helps prevent the overuse of the same muscles. No weights? No problem. Focus on body resistance exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and lunges.
Set smaller goals – (1 time a week)
On a weekend morning, when it’s coolest, push yourself to run further than you did last weekend. Do this alone if needed, but running with a friend has tremendous benefits. When preparing to increase your mileage, setting that small goal of going longer than before teaches your mind and body it’s capable of completing longer distances. You’ll eventually see that last week’s distance that was difficult is now easier. Over time, what was once thought impossible will become your warm-up. Slowly but surely increasing your mileage will put you in a prime position to run further and further. Pro tip: one speed workout a week will help you on your long runs.
There are many other factors that can impact how you increase your run mileage: diet, hydration, nutrition, cross-training, injuries, etc. Those items can be built-in and managed as you progress. Just remember, you don’t just wake up and run longer distances. Persistence and consistency are needed. Do you listen to music when you run? Add these 5 songs to your next playlist!
You don’t want to miss these inspirational sports movies and documentaries on Netflix
Everyone can use a motivational boost every once in a while! Netflix has several sports movies and documentaries which can lift your mood any day. The list below is perfect for your next rest day. You can also click play before your next long ride on the indoor trainer. Follow this helpful guide to get set up on Zwift. You just might have your best training ride! Here is a list of our top inspirational sports movies and documentaries. Pro tip: watch one of these for an extra boost before your next brick workout.
100 Meters
100 Meters is a Spanish movie about a man who tries to compete in an Iron Man race. Despite suffering from multiple sclerosis, he defies odds by training for the triathlon race with help from his father-in-law.
Rising Phoenix
A recent documentary, Rising Phoenix captures the lives of nine athletes and their respective journeys in the Paralympic Games. This movie informs viewers’ understanding of specially gifted individuals and their athletic talents.
Lorena, Light-Footed Woman
Looking for a woman-centric sports documentary? This inspiring story is of Lorena Ramirez who gives up her pastoral existence to participate in ultramarathons by wearing sandals. It is a must-watch for all female sports enthusiasts.
Lucha: Playing the Impossible
This documentary is an inspiration for all aspiring sportswomen. The performance of Luciana Aymar, a player on the Argentinian women’s hockey team, is noticed by players, coaches, and fans across the globe. Lucha eventually puts her country’s hockey team under the international spotlight when she becomes one of only two women from Argentina to win four Olympic medals.
Bobby Robson: More Than a Manager
Featuring British coach Sir Bobby Robson, this movie depicts the manager who garnered respect for his polite demeanor in the football field. Robson is credited for building the careers of many football players like Jose Mourinho, Terry Butcher, Paul Gascoigne, and Pep Guardiola. The story shows how as a manager he led his team away from political issues and helped them attain success.
A Life of Speed: The Juan Manuel Fangio Story
A Life of Speed is the tale of Juan Manuel Fangio who rose from humble beginnings as a mechanic’s son and became a well-known racing car champion. The story gives viewers a glimpse into the risky profession of motor car racing and shows one man who defeated circumstances to win five world titles on some of the most challenging tasks.
Dangal
Dangal is a biographical story of a former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat who trains his two daughters to win at the Commonwealth Games. Phogat successfully leads his children to victory by overcoming gender stereotypes and other challenges. A must watch for those interested in women’s empowerment in the sports realm.
Feel like you need more of a boost? Add these 10 quotes and 6 running tips to the mix!
Kick things up a notch when you add these songs to your running playlist
Click refresh on your running playlist when you add these 5 songs. Your running playlist will never be the same! Strategically place them so the energy boost arrives right when you need it most. The right song can work wonders when you need an extra boost. Updating your running playlist is an excellent motivational running tip. Check out this blog for 5 more motivational tips!
Sunny Came Home – Shawn Colvin
Shawn sang the National Anthem at the 2018 and ‘19 Kerrville Triathlon before competing! The calming demeanor of this song will help you relax on long runs and recovery runs. Plus, it won two Grammys.
Knights of Cydonia – Muse
Need some audio energy? Put this song on your playlist. It’s roughly 6 minutes of hard-hitting, fight-the-establishment, in-your-face rock and roll. Click play and buckle up!
Born This Way – Lady Gaga
Prepare to skip the warm-up if your running playlist kicks things off with this song. Get ready to get moving when you click play because you were born this way!
Fly Farm Blues – Jack White
When new school goes old school. When this song first comes on you might think it’s an oldie, but just wait. The electricity pours out and will energize you on your run!
Fancy – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Keep the energy going with this back-and-forth ballad. The drums and guitar take turns while you keep pushing forward, one step at a time.
Add these songs to your running playlist before your next run. They can pump you up, allow you to catch your breath, or help you focus on the warm-up/cool-down. These songs are the perfect way to get you going during the run portion of your brick workout. However you incorporate music, just make sure you can still hear your surroundings. It’s important to know what’s going on around you!
Keep logging those miles with these motivational running tips
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a first-timer you will face a time when you’re feeling too “blah” to run. Perhaps you’re too busy, too tired, or maybe feeling under the weather. You’re not alone! This is something that all triathletes experience. Breakthrough the excuse barrier with these 6 motivational running tips. It’ll keep your offseason training on track and you’ll be ready for the upcoming season.
Pro tip: always take time off from running to recover if you’re injured or sick. Most importantly, you should always listen to your body! Here are more helpful tips if you’ve started training for a triathlon.
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Call Your Running Partner
Having a running partner gives you the accountability factor. Running with another person is always fun because you can challenge each other. On days when you need a nudge, they can “talk” you into at least putting your running gear on and joining them for a few easy miles.
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Set a Shorter Running Goal
If you run 5K every day, reduce it to 2K on days where you’re not feeling it. You will trick your mind into believing that the run will be over soon. Chances are though, once you’re out there running, you’ll likely hit the 5K mark.
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Update Your Tunes
If you like to run while listening to music, maybe changing up the tunes will help. Sometimes we get bored listening to the same tunes, which can affect your passion for running. Choose “feel good” songs that inspire you, especially on gloomy days.
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Slow Down
Walking is an excellent alternative for getting fit. It’s okay if you’re not in the mood to run. Go for a brisk walk. This will get your heart pumping. It’s possible you might start jogging once you’re there!
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Revisit Your Goals
This is another form of self-accountability. If you are truly feeling a lack of inspiration towards running, take some time out and examine your fitness goals. What is it you want to achieve? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness? Remind yourself about these goals and how meeting them will benefit you. Pro tip: these 10 mood-boosting quotes can help too!
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Change Your Route
Do you run the same route every day? Perhaps changing the course will stimulate your curiosity and inspire you to run. You’ll learn new routes, work muscles differently, and explore new sections of your city or neighborhood.
Keep in mind, it’s perfectly normal to not feel like running on a daily basis. Proper rest and recovery is just as important for your body as a short run. Give one of these 6 motivational running tips a try the next time you don’t feel like running. You’ll be glad you got out there when you finish!
Avoid Bonking & Keep From Blowing Up
What is bonking? Bonking is when you run out of energy to complete your event. Like a car running out of gas 10 miles into a 20-mile trip. You have no fuel to continue. What is blowing up? Blowing up is starting way too fast or maintaining too high of a pace at different points of your event, which can lead to surpassing your lactate threshold & cramping causing you to stop or slow down. Like if you just put the pedal to the floor in your car and blow your gaskets or transmission. You still have plenty of fuel, but you broke other parts of your car. If you struggle with this, keep reading to learn how to avoid the bonk and prevent from blowing up.
To keep it simple, here are the top tips to Avoid Bonking and Keep from Blowing Up
Know Your Pace. Know what pace you are capable of holding for any period of time to avoid bonking. The idea is at the start of the event for the effort level to feel controlled and relatively easy. As you progress through the event, your effort level will increase to hold your pace. At the end of your event, the effort level will be extremely high to maintain your initial start pace. Even splits or negative splits are how you PR. - Know How to Fuel Properly. Know the calorie needs for the distance you are doing. If you are doing a short event (less than 45 minutes) you will not need anything more than water during your event. Your body will have enough energy from your previous night’s meal and your morning breakfast to get you through. Chances are on the shorter events you will be moving faster and having a bunch of food in your stomach is counterproductive to going fast.
- Know When to Refuel. If your event is longer than 45 minutes, this is when you need to start thinking about fueling for success. In general, depending on your height, weight, sport, and effort level, you will burn between 10 to 25 calories per minute. The goal is to time your calorie intake throughout your event so that you are just keeping the tank full enough to avoid bonking and running out of energy. Another rule is that you want to consume the calories before you need them. My rule of thumb is that I take in a few calories every 15 minutes starting at the 30-minute mark for any event over 1 hour. Remember you are balancing your intake with what was in your tank when you started.
Things to consider per sport
- Swimming. Swimming is not the ideal sport for taking in calories during a triathlon. When you are completing a tri, you need to consider calorie-intake into account and be prepared to start fueling early on the bike to avoid bonking.
Cycling. Cycling is built for fueling. You have bottle cages on your bike, the right choice in your race clothing will have pockets for holding gels and other forms of nutrition. There are also tons of other equipment you can add to your bike to pretty much carry as much as you want. One key is to use the aid stations on course so that you are not carrying too much. Why spend a ton of money on an 18-pound bike when you are going to carry 3 to 6 pounds of nutrition? Learning how to take a bottle hand up or even stop quickly at an aid station to make sure you have what you need is important and worth every second that you might think you are losing by just blowing by the aid station without refueling. Items we recommend consuming on the bike: water, fluids with calories, gels, chews, and bars.- Running. A good pocket in your run shorts, shirt, or a SpiBelt is perfect for holding a couple of gels for your run. A small handheld water bottle can also come in handy if you are needing a little water to wash down your gel or stay hydrated. Aid stations are also the key for runners. Knowing the frequency of the aid stations and what they will be supplied with before the event will help you come up with the proper nutrition plan on the run. Items I recommend consuming while running: water, fluids with calories, gels, and chews.
To sum it up, what you need to do to avoid bonking is, know your body (pace), know the event (what nutrition do they offer on course), have a plan to carry additional fuel, and then practice with different amounts and mixtures of nutrition at different paces until you have the perfect plan. This will all vary based on the type and length of your event, so be sure to use these tips during your Kerrville Tri training. After all, practice makes perfect!
Performance Sunglasses for the trendiest triathletes
When it comes to being a triathlete, there is a lot of gear needed to race your best the morning of a tri. However, there’s an important piece of tri gear that often gets overlooked: performance sunglasses. After all, you wear them for 2/3 of the tri during the run leg and bike leg. We know looking for the right pair of shades that look great and meets both your running and cycling needs can be difficult. Find a pair that meets your personal style and performance needs with these recommendations of reliable, stylish performance sunglasses for your upcoming tri.
Lookin’ cool out on the Kerrville Tri course!
Bottom Line:
Performance sunglasses are a must. They protect your eyes from dirt, harmful rays from the sun, and other possible debris that may come your way during a race. The last thing you want to do is fidget with a pair in the middle of your race. Having the right pair of sunglasses can make or break your performance on race day. With these stylish performance sunglasses, you’ll be ready to crush it this year’s Kerrville Tri, and look cool in the process! Keep this in mind next time you’re in the market for some tri shades: the lighter the better, protection from UV rays is crucial, and comfort is key.
Use this guide when preparing your gear bags for Kerrville Tri to make transitions a breeze on race day!
The layout of Kerrville Tri is different from other tri’s due to the two separate transition areas, located two miles apart. It’s important to come prepared with all your gear in the correct place to make your experience easy, and most importantly, fun! Upon receiving your packet, you will be given 3 bags designated for transition on race day, along with your race number stickers and stickers for your gear bags. It’s crucial that you place the designated sticker with your race number on the proper gear bag to make keeping track of your stuff easier. Be ready once you arrive at the race site, and use this step-by-step guide to handle Kerrville Tri transitions with ease.
Step 1
Setting up in T1, making sure his gear is good to go!
When you’re done checking-in and getting body-marked, place any clothes that you wore to the race site that you do not plan on wearing during the tri in your Green – “Morning Clothes Bag.” Then take your bag to drop it off at the assigned box truck located at T1.
Step 2
After you dominate the swim course, you’ll head into T1 to gear up for the bike portion. Once you change into your bike gear, put your swim gear (ex. goggles, swim cap, towel) in the Red – “Bike Gear Bag” and leave it on the rack where your bike was. We transport all gear from T1 to T2 during the race, so it will be waiting for you in T2 after the race.
Gear bag ready to go in T1
Step 3
Prepare your Blue – “Run Gear Bag” with what you plan to wear during the run. This bag should hold all the items you need to transition from the bike to the run portion. Plan ahead because this gear bag needs to be checked into T2 on the day prior to the event! Once you change into your running gear, tie the bag to the rack and head for the run course!
Follow these tips and have your gear bags ready to ensure you have a smooth transition on race day for Kerrville Tri! We’ll see you at the finish line!