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2019 Finisher Medal Reveal

Introducing the 2019 Kerrville Triathlon Festival Finisher Medals!

Get excited! We are about three months away from this year’s Kerrville Tri through the scenic Texas Hill Country. Taking place on September 28th & 29th, get ready for your swim-bike-run adventure packed full of fun. Watch the video below to get the first look at the finisher medal, that doubles as a sweet belt buckle.

Give yourself the motivation you need to keep training by seeing what awaits you at the Kerrville Tri finish line!

4 Motivational Quotes to Keep You Going

Use these motivational quotes during your Kerrville Tri training

The mental aspect of training for Kerrville Triathlon is just as vital as the physical.

You can cycle all the miles, swim all the laps, and complete all the brick workouts. But if you don’t prepare between your ears you’re not fully prepared. This is where motivational quotes can be quite helpful.

Many people use quotes or short sayings to keep themselves going when it gets tough. They place these messages where they’ll see them most, mirror, gym bag, refrigerator, locker, etc. Sayings are memorized and repeated when needed most during a tough portion of training. Click below to sharpen your mental preparation with four of our favorite motivational quotes!

These can push you through a difficult time, just when you need it most. When you come out on the other end, you’ll be that much more prepared for Kerrville Tri on Sept. 28-29!

Registration is Open for 2019 Kerrville Triathlon Festival

Registration is open for the 2019 Kerrville Triathlon Festival as of Friday, February 1st. The 9th annual Kerrville Triathlon weekend will take place September 27-29, in Kerrville, Texas. Last year, more than 1400 triathletes competed in eight different events. They included a swim course in Nimitz Lake, bike course through the Texas Hill Country, and run course along the Guadalupe River. All participants who register on Opening Day will automatically receive an additional $5 off.

“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.”

Opening Day Best Pricing

The Opening Day Best Pricing structure for all events follows: Debra Zapata Sprint ($80), sprint aquabike ($80), sprint relay ($140), quarter ($130), quarter aquabike ($130), half ($200), half aquabike ($200), half relay ($260), kids fun run (free), Virtual Kerrville Triathlon, which can be associated with any distance ($45). After Friday, Feb. 1st, all prices will increase by $5.

Participants of the 2019 Kerrville Triathlon Festival will receive a belt buckle finisher’s medal, customized shirts, reusable custom water bottles, personalized race bibs, swim caps, a post-race meal including fajitas and tacos from H-E-B, fruit, snacks, beer and an opportunity to float in the Guadalupe River. Professional timing and photography, a great volunteer crew, hundreds of supportive spectators, and an electric finish line festival will showcase why the Kerrville Triathlon is one of the best triathlons in Texas.

The Debra Zapata Sprint distance, sprint relay, and kids fun run take place on Saturday, Sept. 29th. Quarter distance, quarter aquabike, half distance, half aquabike, and half relay will all happen on Sunday, Sept. 30th. 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. 27th, and Saturday, Sept. 28th. Participants can see the pricing structure and register on the website.

‘Tis the Season – for the Offseason!

Don’t allow this year’s training to disappear during the offseason

Offseason to a lot of triathletes means taking time off from October to March to help re-energize for the following season. Others focus on different sports to get out of the winter elements. The rest just simply take time off.  How can you train during the offseason and keep triathlon fun on a year-round basis?

The goal should be purposeful training — focus on a few key elements with your training.  A great place to start is working on your physiology and the changes you can make over the winter months.

During #triathlon offseason, two key components to altering your physiology include increasing power-to-weight ratio and improving your cardiovascular network. Click To Tweet

Some athletes start the tri season in February in good cardio shape, but have added some extra holiday weight. Some have gone to a few too many holiday parties. They’ve ignored the fact that they are going to rev things up next season and start from square one. It is best when your body weight doesn’t fluctuate up and down. Keeping it constant is best for your cardiovascular system.

Running

Continuing to run can help maintain body weight during the offseason.

Add a half marathon to your winter calendar and continue training in the offseason.

The best way to keep the weight off is to run, but not like Forest Gump! Have a plan to continue running by entering a half marathon in the early part of next year. There are two great events coming up: 3M Half Marathon and the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon. The key to improving your physiology and keeping the weight off is to work on your stride rate. This means faster, possibly shorter strides during your long runs to improve the cardiovascular development in your legs. Try to pick up the stride rate without increasing your pace per mile or effort. A faster stride rate will help you develop capillaries deeper in the muscle. This will help fuel the legs better and flush lactic acid quicker. A good 3-6 weeks of this technique will help you keep the weight off until its time to work on the strength building phase of your training plan. Maximizing your power-to-weight ratio will allow you to find greater efficiencies across all three sports in triathlon.

Swimming

In addition to working on a faster stride rate in running, there are other ways to increase the cardiovascular network using the other sports.  In swimming, you can incorporate longer, aerobic sets with shorter rest intervals. A good example would be 4-6 x 800s as a workout. Of course, you may say “how boring can that be?” So working on your technique during these sets is a must. Try taking a technique clinic to make sure you learn the proper forms of efficiency swimming.  Long sets with bad technique can set you back rather than move you forward.

Cycling

Cycling in the offseason can improve your cardiovascular system.

Cycling in the offseason can improve your cardiovascular system.

With regards to your cycling, keeping a heavy emphasis on high cadence work will also aid in increasing your cardiovascular network. This may keep you in smaller gears than you are used to and maintaining your cadence at 90+ rpms for 70% of the ride time. If you don’t have a cadence meter, a good substitute is to count one leg for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get your rpms. During the winter months, we find ourselves riding indoors and on a trainer more often. Focusing on high cadence in these indoor sessions will give more purpose to your training. Spin classes are a good place to work on this. However, using your own bike with a trainer is best as you keep your body position constant to how you will be riding on the road.

Setting goals and having a purpose for your offseason training will help you stay motivated and focused during the winter training.  Best of all, these few tips will help you have a much more successful racing season in 2019.

Texas Hill Country Shines During Kerrville Triathlon Festival

Participants crossed the Kerrville Triathlon Festival’s finish line, then celebrated at the finish line festival

More than 1000 participants flocked to Kerrville, Texas, to participate in the 8th Annual Kerrville Triathlon Festival. The most scenic triathlon in Texas featured two days of action, plus a two-day expo. Participants gave their all on a course highlighted by swimming in Nimitz Lake, cycling through the Texas Hill Country, and running along the Guadalupe River. After their accomplishments, participants were treated to fajitas, cold beer, snacks, and an opportunity to recover in the refreshing waters of the Guadalupe River.

“I really enjoyed coming back to Kerrville for this race weekend,” said Tony Aventa, who completed the Debra Zapata Sprint on Saturday. “This year was particularly fun with the run through the park. Great job to High Five Events for coordinating such a smooth race!”

From spectating to the Kids Fun Run, Kerrville Tri is perfect for the whole family

The family-friendly Kerrville Triathlon Festival took place from Friday, September 28, to Sunday, September 30. It featured eight different events, including sprint, quarter, half, aquabike, relays, and a kids fun run. The Debra Zapata Sprint distance, sprint relay, and kids fun run took place on Saturday. All other events, including the quarter and the half, took place on Sunday. Before the action began, participants, volunteers, and friends and family went to the ROKA Happy Hour. The happy hour and the expo and packet pick up were held at Inn of the Hills, the host hotel.

“Kerrville Triathlon Festival is one of my favorite races of the season,” said Karen Moser, who completed the Debra Zapata Sprint on Saturday. “The courses are amazing, the support is top-notch, and I love the family atmosphere, especially when my daughters cross the finish line with me!”

Peter Murray (1:03:16), of McGregor, Texas, won Saturday’s sprint event. Andrea Fisher (1:10:14), of Austin, Texas, won the female division. Sunday’s winners and their times follow: quarter – female winner, Haley Koop (2:23:17), male winner, Mark Saroni (2:02:52); half – female winner, Rebecca Marrou (4:54:31), male winner, Todd Gerlach (4:45:09). Results for Saturday and Sunday are available.

Kerrville Tri – the most scenic triathlon in Texas

“The Kerrville Triathlon was such a great and memorable experience for my first successful 70.3,” said Ron Ledesma. “The High Five Events’ staff and volunteers were a huge part of making it so memorable for both triathletes and spectators. The race was very well organized from the expo to the festival area, including availability of support, aid, and facilities.’

Athletes received custom-designed shirts and water bottles, ROKA swim caps, beer, belt buckle finisher’s medal, a post-race meal including fajitas tacos from H-E-B, fruit, snacks, and an opportunity to float in the Guadalupe River. Professional timing and photography, a great volunteer crew, hundreds of supportive spectators, and an electric finish line festival demonstrated why the Kerrville Triathlon is one of the best triathlons in Texas. Photos can be found on the Kerrville Triathlon Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds in addition to the website.

The Kerrville Triathlon would like to thank sponsors H-E-B, ROKA, Clif Bar, City Limit Cycles, the City of Kerrville, Kerrville Fire Department, Kerrville Police Department, Kerr County Sheriff’s Department, Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Peterson Health, Jack and Adam’s Fredericksburg, Ben Phillips, Real Estate Advisor for Engel and Volkers Austin, SPIbelt, Peak Fitness, MO-RANCH, Hill Country Bicycle Works, Grape Juice, RunLab Austin, and Gatorade.

Kerrville Triathlon Ready to Showcase the Texas Hill Country

Triathletes from 15 different states prepare for Kerrville Triathlon, the most scenic triathlon in Texas

High Five Events concludes their 2018 triathlon season with the Kerrville Triathlon Festival. The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 30, in Kerrville, Texas. More than 1300 athletes will participate in this beloved Hill Country event. Entering its eighth year, Kerrville Tri is rapidly becoming known for featuring the most scenic triathlon course in Texas.

Triathletes will participate on a course highlighted by swimming in Nimitz Lake, cycling through the Texas Hill Country, and running along the Guadalupe River. After crossing the finish line, participants can grab an inner tube provided by the event and float in the cool waters of the Guadalupe River. Before the action begins, participants and their friends and family are invited to the ROKA Happy Hour. This gathering will take place on Friday, Sept. 28th, from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 at the Inn of the Hills bar.

“People are buzzing about the 8th Annual Kerrville Triathlon Festival because it combines triathlon distances for everyone, the City of Kerrville’s hospitality, and the beauty of the Texas Hill Country,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “We’re just as excited as the City of Kerrville to host triathletes from 15 different states and see the continued growth of this event.”

Swim, bike, run in the Texas Hill Country

The Kerrville Triathlon Festival will feature the Debra Zapata Sprint distance, sprint relay, and free Kids Fun Run on Saturday. Quarter distance, quarter aquabike, half distance, half aquabike, and half relay will all take place on Sunday. The sprint will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. The half will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. Triathletes who would like to participate but are unable to travel to Kerrville can register for the virtual Kerrville Triathlon.

Participants can pick up their packet at the Kerrville Triathlon Expo and Packet Pickup. That will take place 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. 28th, and Saturday, Sept. 29th. Registration for all distances is still open for the Kerrville Triathlon Festival. Volunteer positions are available as well.

Athletes will receive custom-designed shirts and trucker hats, water bottles, ROKA swim caps, beer, belt buckle finisher’s medal, a post-race meal including fajitas and tacos from H-E-B, fruit, snacks, and an opportunity to float in the Guadalupe River. Professional timing and photography, a great volunteer crew, hundreds of supportive spectators, and an electric finish line festival will showcase why the Kerrville Triathlon is one of the best triathlons in Texas.

The Kerrville Triathlon would like to thank sponsors H-E-B, ROKA, Clif Bar, City Limit Cycles, the City of Kerrville, Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Peterson Health, Jack and Adam’s Fredericksburg, Ben Phillips, Real Estate Advisor for Engel and Volkers Austin, SPIbelt, Peak Fitness, MO-RANCH, Hill Country Bicycle Works, Grape Juice, RunLab Austin, and Gatorade.

Wetsuit Tips – Getting Out of Your Wetsuit

Getting out of your wetsuit efficiently can save you time

You exit the water and are ready to head to transition, but first your wetsuit. Getting out of your wetsuit can be tricky, especially if you panic and don’t focus on the task at hand. This will slow you down and lead to an extended stay in transition. Use the tips and steps below to ensure a smooth wetsuit removal.
 

3 Steps to Follow

1. Begin by releasing the Velcro closure on your collar. Take your opposite hand and slowly use the ripcord to pull down on the wetsuit. Imagine that you are unzipping your wetsuit in slow motion. Fast, uncontrolled jerks will add time to this process and only slow your transition.
 
2. Start to turn the wetsuit inside out. This entire process can be completed while you are exiting the water and finding your bike in transition. Your wetsuit should be rolled down and hanging off your waist by the time you reach your bike rack.
 
3. When taking off the bottom portion of the wetsuit, remember to use your arms. Do not use opposite legs when getting out of your wetsuit. Standing on the wetsuit could cause pavement, sand, or any other surface to puncture the wetsuit.
 
Learn more about taking care of your wetsuit, including how to properly put it on in our blog post entitled Getting into Your Wetsuit.

Swim, Bike, Run, Represent a Reason

Represent a Reason and take your training to the next level!

People race Kerrville Triathlon for many reasons. It’s the most scenic triathlon in Texas. Most race to prove to themselves they can complete a longer distance triathlon. Others race to beat their previous time. Some participate to stay in shape. Whatever your reason you choose to race Kerrville Tri, you can make your training and race day that much more meaningful when you Represent a Reason! Click To Tweet

When you Represent a Reason you have the opportunity to raise funds and awareness for the nonprofit organization of your choice. Fundraising becomes your defacto fourth discipline when you’re training for Kerrville Tri and racing on Saturday, Sept. 29th, or Sunday, Sept. 30th. Use your triathlon training to take your impact beyond race day! You can get your friends, family, and training groups/clubs involved too. Anyone can Represent a Reason and make a difference for their preferred charity. Start fundraising today using the steps below!

Step 1: Register for the race and create a fundraiser

  • Click “Set Up Your Fundraiser” and choose your charity – a page will be created and you’ll be ready to start fundraising.

Step 2: Share with the world

  • Your fundraising page allows friends and family to donate directly to your cause and helps you share your story.

Step 3: See your impact

  • Your personal page collects your fundraising totals together in one place – your overall impact.

Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram what charity you’ll support when you Represent a Reason!