We are pleased to announce the launch of the Santa Cruz Triathlon Association’s new COMP! program.

For several years now, the successful Nu2Tri program has guided those new to the sport through building a strong foundation for changing their life. But there has often been a void at the end of this journey which has left many of us without a clear path for our new found passion.

COMP! is a program for the intermediate to advanced triathlete who embodies the spirit of competition that makes our sport great. This program is for people of all levels of skill but only the highest level of drive. It is about taking your commitment to the next level surrounded by others who feel the same.

The heart of the program will be a series of progressive clinics meant to build on one another and which will cover every aspect of the sport from nutrition and body maintenance to maintaining mental strength (and of course lots of running, biking, and swimming!). Over the course of the 10 month program, our group of amazing coaches will provide the tools you need to set, take on, and conquer your goals.

COMP! will consist of over 20 clinics. They will happen approximately every other week beginning at our introductory meeting in January with a clinic on setting goals. This will lead into an “off-season” portion of the program where we will explore what it takes to prepare for a winning season. At this time we will also be acting as mentors for the Nu2Tri program. Around April we will move into the triathlon season and clinics focused on all three disciplines as well as the all important challenges of the mental game. The program will culminate in October with a synthesis clinic meant to help you wrap your mind around everything you’ve learned.

This program is not for everyone. It will require commitment on your part and a drive towards making yourself the best you can be. But don’t let any doubts you might have about being “fast” or “good” enough hold you back from greatness. One of the finest aspects about triathlon, our club, and the COMP! program is that each welcomes all levels of ability. We ask only that you take whatever level that may be and genuinely make the most of it.

On behalf of the COMP! leadership team I want to welcome everyone to check out the outline of the program below and to figure out if it is right for you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email.

Jake Parent
SCTA COMP! Director and Board Member
jakedparent@gmail.com
(408) 313-9041

SCTA COMP! Description:

Basic Requirements

• Be a member of the Santa Cruz Triathlon Association.
• Have at least 1 season of experience competing in triathlon.
• Attend at least 50% of SCTA club workouts and at least 80% of COMP! clinics.
• Club workouts are in the evenings during the week and weekend mornings.
• COMP! clinic times will vary but will typically be before a club workout or at a similar time (weekday evening\weekend morning or early afternoon).
• Compete in 3 Triathlons of your choice wearing SCTA gear.
• Act as a Nu2Tri mentor (easy since you’ll already be at the workouts!).
• Be available to start in mid January.

What You Get:

• 10 month program of over 20 progressive clinics. These clinics will build upon each other and cover all aspects of the sport of triathlon (see below for a partial list).
• Access to a premiere coaching staff:
  • Terri Schneider – Renowned adventure racer, coach, and a founding member of SCTA. She is an expert in all aspects of the sport and will be particularly focused on our cycling training and the mental aspects of competition\training.
  • Jane O’Connor – Jane has decades of experience teaching swimming to people of all ages and skill levels. She is an expert at understanding that coaching swimming is more than just giving an athlete a set of drills. It is about building relationships and understanding how each person is different.
  • Rod Heskett – A former elite level runner and forever a world class competitor. Countless athletes can attest to how Rod helped them transform running from a chore into a lifelong love.
  • Josh Bjornstad – Josh has several years experience as both a personal trainer and athlete. More than that, he exemplifies the kinds of personal qualities it takes to be a great coach.
  • Jaimi Ellison – The owner of Santa Cruz Core and an SCTA board member, Jaimi has a passion for bringing out the best in every athlete.
• The chance to train with a group of like minded folks that will help challenge and motivate you towards meeting your goals.
• Exciting race incentives to be announced.

Cost

$400 – Works out to less than $20 per clinic (Estimated value of these clinics anywhere else is well over two thousand bucks).

Please contact Jake Parent –jakedparent@gmail.com– to register.

Because of limited space, we have only 20 available spots for this year’s COMP! program.
Athletes must sign up before the first meeting (TBD in early January).

Payment plans can be worked out on a case by case basis.
We won’t be able to offer refunds but can pro-rate the fee towards a future program if an athlete has to drop out due to injury, family emergency, etc.

Clinics

Below is a list of the clinics offered in the COMP! program. Because this program is in its first year and because we seek to meet the specific needs of COMP! athletes, some of the clinics may be subject to change, combined, or added\deleted as seen fit by the coaches. Regardless, this list represents an accurate look at the scope of the program.

These are meant to be hands on clinics. Wherever applicable they will involve a teaching aspect along with an exercise, drills, etc. to put the athlete’s new found knowledge to work. In other words, they combine learning with doing.

We also understand that everyone has limited time so whenever possible the clinics will take place previous to an already scheduled SCTA club workout.

A full calendar will be made available before the program begins.

Off-Season

Flexibility

In this clinic you will learn proper pre- and post- workout stretching techniques as well as exercises and movements that will help you retain and even improve your flexibility, ultimately improving your overall sports performance!  Also covered during this clinic will be techniques for dealing with sore muscles and tips on “rolling out” the lactic acid build up.

Sports Nutrition

Using evidence-based knowledge and strategies to deliver nutritional goals and action plans to promote health and performance.  We will go over pre- and post- workout meals and macro nutrient ratios, supplement evaluations, and suggestions. Resting metabolic rate and body composition will also be covered.

Cross Training

Cross training stresses the muscles with a variety of exercises. It prepares the body for the myriad of stresses that you experience each day. If you cross train, you’ll develop better strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination over a greater variety of challenges and movements. This clinic will cover more reasons why cross training is important as well as go through specific examples of exercises tailored to triathletes.

Recovery

Training harder is not always training smarter.  Geared toward optimal health and the endurance athlete, this clinic will provide a unique look at the biophysical measurements of the body using very specific tools. Learn the importance of active recovery and how it can help you stay injury free, how self-myofascial release is important in preventing injury, and techniques for self-massage.

Cycling

Spinning: The Foundation for Cycling Power – 1

This is an activity based clinic that will be held for COMP! members just prior to a club spin workout. Participants will come early for the clinic and then stay for the club spin workout. Participants will hone their spin on the bike, while learning to transfer that perfected spin into pushing a powerful gear for time trialing.

Spinning: The Foundation for Cycling Speed – 2

This activity based clinic will be held for COMP! members just prior to a club spin workout. Participants will come early for the clinic and then stay for the club spin workout. Participants will refine their spin on the bike, while learning to permanently recall this perfected technique for their time trialing experiences. We will also execute some core/leg strength work prior to our workout to simulate spinning while fatigued.

Running

Running Slow

Athletes learn to walk the earth like world class athletes and run with proper form. This clinic will teach you how to check your form using physical cues. We will change speeds but always go back to running slow, rechecking the cues, and feeling the body doing what it naturally wants to do; letting go of anything else that gets in the way. We will be building the foundation for total running technique.

Falling Up

Anyone can learn to run on flat ground. But being able to tackle hills is often what will separate you from the competition. In this clinic, athletes will learn how to tackle hill running by properly implementing form and core strength. Learning to do so will also translate into better overall running by building on the knowledge learned in the first clinic on checking cues and maintaining form.

Change Speed, Not Stride

Athletes learn to move their center of gravity over their feet from their ankles while in stride. Also how to let this action become a speed reaction which changes their stride in whatever way the individual changes in that moment… creating natural speed with control. Athlete’s heart rate rises, respiration increases, muscles may burn or feel awkward, but all of this will calm back down and the stride will soon feel natural and in control.

Fartlek

This clinic will cover various fartlek (speed play) workouts. Athletes will experience prepared intervals, spontaneous intervals, and unexpected intervals. There is probably no better tool for preparing an athlete for anything they might face in a race.

Trail Running

Athletes learn the ups and downs of trail running and experience some of both in this clinic. In order to be a good runner, an athlete must train to always be aware of their form and their body’s connection with the earth. The constantly shifting environment of a trail run offers the perfect opportunity to practice these important skills.

The Secrets of Breathing

Athletes learn how to let breathing happen when they run instead of making breathing happen. This is an intense workout that is meant to be done by athletes who are fit and know how to experience intense running, changing body position, and holding a pace.

The Stitch

This will be a non-workout clinic—perhaps over dinner. Athletes will learn some of the causes of side cramps (stitch) and a variety of ways to get rid of them and/or avoid them in the first place.

The Will to Prepare

Marathon runner Juma Ikangaa famously said, “The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare.” In this clinic COMP! athletes will push the envelope in practice to make them a better racer. Athletes will match up in a group with teams pushing each other just past the edge while they hang on to one another until the end.

Swimming

The COMP! program will feature at least two pool swim clinics with Jane O’Connor. Athletes will have their swim strokes filmed and analyzed. They will be given instruction on both conditioning and form.
Confidence in your Open Water Swim Start

Having confidence in the ‘feeding-frenzy’ of an open water swim start requires some tools to negotiate the masses assertively. This clinic will teach COMP! members the skills to work a mass start to their favor.

The Mental Game

Mental Training for Triathlon – 1

This clinic will set the ground work for creating an effective, competitive mindset. We’ll discuss self talk, and goal setting for a season of consistent mental training.  Non-physical activity.

Mental Training for Triathlon – 2

This clinic will solidify the ground work for COMP! members mental game during their racing season. We’ll discuss/practice imagery and meditation for a season of consistent mental effectiveness.  Non-physical activity.

Accessing Power for Your Triathlon Run

Running powerfully off the bike requires a ‘special’ mind/body sync. This clinic will guide COMP! athletes in accessing and tapping into that sync during their race experiences. This is a non as well as physical activity combined. Activity light.

Transition

This clinic will go over the ins and outs of the transition including the finer points and sharing of experiences/lessons learned by athletes and coaches. It will help shave those precious seconds off your time, lower stress going into an event, and help you have your best race possible.