WNIJ host Jason Cregier is joined today by triathlete and owner of Athletic Movement Perfected and TriLabs in Plainfield and Rockford Mary Tobiason. Tobiason has completed many full and half triathlons, and trains athletes to compete and finish the endurance races.
She and Jason discussed the upcoming Ironman 70.3 half triathlon, which takes place this coming Sunday in Rockford.
(This is an excerpt from a larger conversation, which can be heard in its entirety in the link above and has been edited for time and clarity.)
Jason Cregier: You train people to compete in triathlons; can you give us a bit of your background?
Mary Tobiason: I was a runner in college, so I’ve always loved movement, and I love sharing that with other athletes. I’ve been competing for twenty-five years and coaching for twenty-four and it’s super rewarding.
This race is 70.3 miles from start to finish. That’s essentially like me driving from DeKalb to Chicago, but without a car. The race begins with a 1.2-mile swim through the Rock River, what can participants expect from that?
The water is murky in the Rock River. Not because the water is dirty, but because the Rock River has a mud bottom. Visibility can be difficult, and you must stay calm. An advantage of this down-river swim is there will be a current, so there will be a bit of a push from the river. The water temperature is about 70 degrees, so it’s not too cold. Wetsuits will be allowed, which allows you some buoyancy. The swim itself is point to point, which allows very little turning, which is beneficial as well.
The biking portion of the race is 56.9 miles, what do you tell your trainees about conserving energy on a bike ride of this length?
The bike course is hilly. Hopefully the athletes have trained on some rollers. It’s also helpful to understand how to take the downhill portion of the ride to set you up for a good uphill climb. One important portion of the training is your fueling and nutrition. Many people fall short on that. They will train for each individual discipline and forget that you need calories, and what kind of calories your body will metabolize while you’re moving.
The final portion of the race is a 13-mile run. The race is almost done, and racers may be feeling the effects of mental and physical fatigue. What do you tell people during their training to help them finish the race?
I like to tell athletes that you pay for every mile. You signed up for this. You train so you’re set up for a good run. If you over bike you won’t have a good run, if you overextend on the swim, you won’t have a good bike. The sport is not swimming, it’s not biking and it’s not running. There is an art to it. If you train properly, you will be absolutely fine. I think the most basic advice I tell people is to try and not crap your pants. That kind of stuff does happen, but usually only happens if you’re eating the wrong things or if you’re sick. If you set the bar low, you’re in great shape.
The Ironman 70.3 Rockford triathlon starts near the sculptures of the Rock Guardians with a 1.2-mile swim of the Rock River on Sunday at 7 a.m.
Those looking to volunteer on race day may visit Ironman Volunteer.
Listen to the full conversation in the link above.
