From the Editor
STORIES TO FUEL THE MULTISPORT LIFESTYLE
Melissa Stockwell talks about her prosthetics like they’re accessories.
While prepping our cover athlete for her photo shoot, she ran through her prosthetic options with photographer Ross Dettman via phone. “I can bring this one or this one or this one,” she told him.
Stockwell’s matter-of-fact attitude about the loss of her leg is inspirational in itself. “From Day 1, I decided I was going to move on and take what I had and run with it,” Stockwell said. And she has run with it. Stockwell, the first female U.S. soldier to lose a limb in the Iraq War, has since become a world champion paratriathlete and Paralympic swimmer, climbed a Colorado 14er and earned her prosthetist certification. Through it all, she’s maintained an overwhelmingly positive outlook on life and turned an uncertain future into a tale of success and inspiration.
Stockwell, along with four other athletes, is part of a special set of profiles highlighting age-groupers with unique backstories (page 38). Selecting five athletes out of hundreds of nominations was a difficult task. There were so many moving and unique stories, and we salute each of you for what you’ve overcome. We hope to feature more of the stories on our website and in future issues. Email us at
communications@usatriathlon.org if you know someone we should highlight, and put “My Story” in the subject line.
In addition to our athlete features, there are more than 30 pages of USA Triathlon Official Rankings, Athlete of the Year capsules, All-Americans and Honorable Mention honorees for 2010 (page 76).
You also may have noticed a new look on our cover. We’ve simplified the name of our publication — dropping “Life” to become USA Triathlon Magazine. Changing the name allows us to avoid the confusing nomenclature of our former title. Among the idiosyncrasies of the old name — some readers did not realize the publication that arrived in their mailbox every few months was a benefit of USAT membership.
Visit
www.usatriathlon.org/member-services/benefits to learn more about the benefits of your membership.
Congratulations to all of the athletes honored throughout the issue. Our regular features will be back for the summer issue. Until then, enjoy reading about your fellow athletes fueling the multisport lifestyle.
Jayme Ramson is the editor-in-chief of USA Triathlon Magazine. Contact her at
jayme.ramson@usatriathlon.org.
MAIL BAG
Something to say about USA Triathlon Life? Email letters to the editor to
communications@usatriathlon.org with “mailbag” in the subject line. Be sure to include your name. Letters may be edited for length and grammar.
Beginners’ Issue
Dear Editor,
I read the latest edition of USA Triathlon Life, the beginner’s issue, Vol 14, issue 1, and enjoyed it very much. Lots of terrific articles to get the fledgling triathlete off to a good start as well as excellent reviews of the year’s championships and athletes. However, while reading one particular article “Shift Gears, Literally,” by Matthew Clancy, I noticed one inconsistent piece of advice that I felt needed correcting. Although an excellent article, and with all due respect to Mr. Clancy, the description of cross chaining is incorrect. He says, “when the chain is in the big ring in the front and the little ring on the rear wheel, (or in the small up front and the biggest on the rear wheel), you experience cross-chaining.” These two scenarios are actually quite normal and are employed frequently on a typical ride and are not cross-chaining. The first occurs when pedaling at high speeds or descending, the second when climbing. Cross-chaining is the opposite situation, i.e. when the chain is in the big ring up front and biggest in back, or small in front and smallest ring in back. Both result in a severely angled chain and are inefficient modes for a drivetrain. Thanks to you all for the support of triathlons.
— Steve Holmes, Portland, Ore.
Editor’s note: Good eye, Steve. From USA Triathlon Sport Performance Manager Andy Schmitz: Cross-chaining is using gears that put your chain at an extreme angle. The gear combinations that cause this are inside front with far outside rear or outside front with far inside rear. Additional information from USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program Coordinator and Olympian Barb Lindquist: And then there is the saying… it’s great to cross TRAIN, but not good to cross CHAIN. Stretching the chain at that extreme angle makes it less efficient in the power transfer from the legs to the wheels. Also, if you are cross chained and you switch the front derailleur to the other ring, there is more of a chance of dropping the chain.
Triathlons for youth
I am 10 years old, and I was thinking about the age-group situation. Most triathlons are for the adults and older kids. So I find myself doing the same triathlons over and over again! I already do the Conway, Bentinville and Arkansas triathlons, but can you recommend any more than that? I am looking forward to a great triathlon future, but I can’t have one if I do the same triathlons over and over, can I? So, I would like some advice. Thank you!
— Kelsey Ballesteros (via email)
Editor’s note: Kelsey, check out the event calendar on
usatriathlon.org for more youth events in your area. Also, if you want to compete against the top kids from all over the U.S., the premier youth event of the year is USA Triathlon’s Youth & Junior National Championship in San Diego, Calif., on Aug. 6. Read more here:
http://www.usatriathlon.org/events/100
12 USA TRIATHLON SPRING 2011
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