talking triathlon with steve jonas
Know when to hold ‘em and
Know when to Fold ‘em
By Steve Jonas
Y
ou’ve started a race and something bit, I could pull myself together and get out myself a minute before I would call for water
goes wrong. What to do? Battle on the bike; however, by that time the rain safety, but the dizziness started diminishing
through? Modify the race plan? was coming down. Wet roads, poor visibility right away, so I stayed with it, turning on my
Drop out? and even after a break I was still feeling a bit side again. This time I knew that I had the
Well, it depends. I had three different unsteady. I decided that safety absolutely current with me and indeed, even on my
“something went wrong” experiences this comes first. It was time to fold’ em. There is side I spent only 48 minutes in the swim. But
summer. You might find something helpful in always another race. I did not feel very good getting out of the
knowing how I handled each situation. Three weeks later, at the USA Triathlon water. However, it was a warm, sunny day,
I have a tendency to get seasick in the Age Group National Championship in and I was told by a race official that I could
swim. Therefore, I often take an anti-motion Tuscaloosa, Ala., the swim was to be in the take as long as I wanted before deciding
sickness medication before the start of each warm (85 degrees) and calm Black Warrior whether to go out on the bike. In the end,
race. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it River. No problem. Well, no problem from I spent 35 minutes in T1, took care of my
doesn’t. Like most of us, I am happiest using the seasickness point of view. But, as you stomach problems and went out on the bike.
the freestyle technique. However, if I start to may have heard, the swim there was for the But being so far behind and not wanting to
feel queasy, changing over to the sidestroke most part “uphill.” There had been heavy keep all the volunteers and police out on
– keeping my head out of the water and my rain for several days before the race and it the course just for my vanity, or having the
eye on the shoreline – helps to keep the had been necessary for the river-masters to course closed under me, I turned in my chip.
queasiness under control. But, as slow as I open the floodgates upstream. I made the Instead of doing the full two loops on the
am using the freestyle (about 45 minutes turn onto the long upstream leg and felt bike and run courses, I converted the race
for the Olympic distance of 1.5k), I am even the current. But I said to myself, “OK, you’re into my own sprint, doing one loop of each.
slower with the sidestroke (about an hour for feeling great otherwise. Go for it.” Know when to hold ‘em, but modify it.
the same distance). From past boating experience, I knew Will I always be right? Not necessarily. But
On August 2, 2009, I started the Cayuga that the current would be less intense closer I do try to use my own past experience, the
Lake (NY) Triathlon. It was a windy day, with to the riverbank, so that’s where I went, knowledge that there is always another race,
rain threatening. The wind was coming from continually checking the buoys to make sure and a racing ego that I have pretty much
the south, there was a lake current from that I was still moving forward. I exited the under control, as guides. In 27 years, the
south to north, and the course was a south water feeling just fine and headed off for formula has kept me both safe and happy.
to north out and back. Thus, the water was a the bike. Looking at my watch, I thought
bit rough, and within a few minutes, I wasn’t that I had been in the water for 62 minutes.
feeling so good. Thinking that I could finish “Not bad with that current,” I thought. Only Dr. Steve Jonas has been a multisport
the swim if I could just make it to the halfway later did I realize that I had been in for 122 athlete for 27 years, is the author of
point against the wind and current and then minutes. Nevertheless, I finished the race, Triathloning for Ordinary Mortals®, currently
ride them back, I turned over on my side. I slowly but comfortably, and qualified for in its 23rd year of publication (2nd ed. new
made it, but I was so far behind that I had a Worlds in 2010. Know when to hold ‘em. in 2006), and is a professor of preventive
convoy of water safety people with me. I was Finally, at the 2009 World Championships medicine at Stony Brook University (NY). His
thrilled to get to the beach, but I felt very in Gold Coast, Australia, I got seasick in the website is
www.ordinarymortals.info.
wobbly. I thought that if I just sat down for a swim again – dizzy right after the start. I gave
84 USA TriAThlon winter 10
USATTriWinter10pgs50-90.indd 84 12/9/09 3:47:04 PM
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