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As we all know, triathlons are extremely expensive.  One of the pocket draining cost is apparel.  I have spent way more money on apparel then I care to admit.  However, I have found one way to save money, buy quality gear that has an excellent warranty, even years later.  One company that offers just such a guarantee is DeSoto Sport.

After 7 years of constant training, I finally tore the seam in my DeSoto wetsuit and tore the seam on my Riviera shorts; I’m not going to rule out it was due to a few extra pounds, it’s tough being a triathlete and a foodie.  I emailed the good folks at customer service and they immediately got me set up to send my gear back in to be fixed at no cost.  The fact that I have been able to use these products religiously for 7 years, get them fixed for free, and then continue to use them religiously means I have gotten well worth my money in this gear.

I haven’t even gone into how DeSoto’s apparel is stylish years later.  Because as we know, it’s not how you feel, it’s how you look.  So, if you want to cut the amount of money flying out of your pocket for triathlons make sure you buy quality apparel, but also make sure that apparel comes with an excellent warranty.

 
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As an earth conscious consumer in a sport that can be anything but eco-friendly, I try to buy products that are made close to where I live and with as little of an impact to the earth as possible. But, can you do this with triathlon gear? I recently was stoked to find out that DeSoto Sport has converted its wetsuits, which I think I the best out there, to be petroleum free! WHAT? A wetsuit that is petroleum free? Yep. 

So apparently the wetsuits are made with limestone instead of petroleum. The technology used is called GreenGoma. The technology increases stretch, buoyancy, durability, and insulation. If you are in the market for a wetsuit as we move into the latter parts of the season, want the best wetsuit on the market, and to be able to call yourself green, I recommend checking out DeSoto's wetsuit line with GreenGoma. (http://www.desotosport.com/products/wetsuits/index.php)

What other products on the market do you know of that are green and/or made in the USA? Join the conversation @ http://www.triathlonmob.com/threads/green-triathlete-myth-or-reality.12255/ 


 
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The hardest thing for me when traveling is getting a consistent workout in. This past May I spent four weeks in Australia and New Zealand for work, which of course meant I was not going to have my usual training schedule for swimming, biking, and running.  For my first city I was only able to run, but I made the most by sight seeing the city and getting in some much needed hill runs, which of course I get none of in Miami.  For my week stay in Sydney, I was fortunate enough to have a decent gym in the hotel and mixed my workouts between runs around the absolutely stunning Sydney Harbour and spinning on the bike in the hotel gym.  In my first city in New Zealand I looked and found that the city had a great gym with an Olympic size pool and spin classes.  I made the most of this and got some good brick workouts in.  Of course you have to balance this with making sure to stop and see the amazing sites you are privilege to have around you.  I found that while my swimming did suffer from my trip, my running definitely improved.  When I returned to my amazing training group, I found that my running had actually improved, of course I credit this to all those hills.

Note, it is important to pack wisely for traveling.  I always travel with my DeSoto Tuesday Running shorts.  These shorts are multipurpose, running and lounging.  I love that I can use these shorts for my runs and for the pool/hot tub after the runs. These shorts are a must for those of us that need multifunction, and reliable,

 
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Don't do it! I have made this mistake time after time. In my experience, it will only hurt you in the long run. Take for example my cold I caught last week. I new on Monday morning something wasn't right, and instead of taking the day off, I worked my butt off in a hard swim workout in the morning, had an extremely stressful work day, and then biked hard in the afternoon. Needless to say, I was feeling horrible before I even went to bed Monday night. This continued well into the weekend. So, if you are even feeling a cold coming on, take some Zicam (not an endorsement), get that rest, and take a small break in that hard training.

 
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In order to live in Miami you have to be able to take the heat in the kitchen, no if, ands, or buts. As a person who is susceptible to heat, I know a thing or two about this horrible thing called heat exhaustion. I have a few tips in order to beat the heat for training, which of course will help you beat your PR.

 

The easiest thing to do is train in the morning before the sun can do its dirty work. Unfortunately, this is not always an option. So while you may have planed for that awesome 16 x 200/200 track workout, be prepared to alter that workout just a bit. By altering it, I mean either keep the pace you were planning to do or shorten the workout. There is no shame in shortening that 16 x 200/200 to 10 x 200/200 when the temperature is getting to 95 degrees.

No matter when and how you train, you must always stay hydrated. Water is not enough when you are sweating pounds off in one workout. In order to fight the electrolyte lost, I like to use low calorie sports drinks. This way I keep the electrolytes in, but the unwanted pounds off.

Remember to not only train hard, but train smart. I am also going to contradict my favorite commercial: DON’T Stay Thirsty My Friends!




 
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This is it! I leave today for San Francisco and the infamous Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. I have put in the hard work thanks to my friends and teammates. The giant hills of Rickenbacker Causeway have been my trainer and I plan on showing all those mountain people that us flat landers can climb too. Oh, but not only are the hills large, the weather does not look good. Sunday's forecast is for a high of 55 degrees with thunder showers. I decided to bring my winter gear, because let's face it, 55 degrees is winter for Miami! If you are a FB friend, look for my updates along the way, otherwise look for my race recap here. LET'S DO THIS!!!!!

 
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YES! This is my new baby, the 2011 DeSoto Black Pearl wetsuit. Look for me to rock this baby June 5 in San Francisco.

 
I’m excited; my DeSoto T1 Black Pearl wetsuit is in the mail. I already have one, but it’s a sleeveless, this puppy is a long sleeve. Alcatraz here I come!
 
How do you train for the hills of San Francisco in Miami? Bridge repeats! The elevation gain in San Francisco is 300 feet, Miami's tallest bridge is 60 feet. Needless to say this equation doesn't add up. Training with local triathletes who will also be racing in June, we had a fun filled Saturday morning of hill repeats. If this brick was any indication, San Francisco is going to kick our butts, but bring it on!