The P3 Triathlon Tour through the eyes of a trainer

April 24, 2008
Lake Saint Louis
by Kris Kolk

The P3 Triathlon Tour is fast approaching, beginning May 31. Sally Drake, coach for Guinness-World-Record-hopeful, Dr. John Curtin, spoke with sccworlds.com regarding Curtin’s training, expectations and preparedness.

Drake, Missouri Manager and Coach at Training Bible Coaching, has been coaching Curtin for his upcoming challenge of completing 100 triathlons in 100 consecutive days in 9 states. This endeavor will benefit Missouri KidsFirst.

Drake stated that although Curtin has a strong athletic background and is mentally strong, he began this training at a time when fitness “was on his back burner.”

“He should have at least a couple of good years of training, including racing, under his belt for such an undertaking,” she said.

In the beginning, Drake said they focused on endurance training by performing longer workouts at low heart rates to establish a strong base for what is to come.

“Recently, I have been giving him some mini-triathlon simulations repeated for a few days in a row--yes, mentally and physically tough, but will give him an idea of what his body and mind will feel like,” Drake said.

A large portion of this attempt will be mental, although Drake does not like to use the word “attempt.” She favors confident expressions of success and encourages Curtin to state that this is something he WILL accomplish, instead of something he will merely try.

“He has to know that he will complete the P3 Tour in his heart and in his attitude,” she said.

Regarding nutrition, Drake does not recommend Curtin’s “pigging out on junk food and ice cream every night during the tour.” She recommends fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole wheat pasta. She also encourages drinks, bars and gels which are formulated for endurance training.

“He needs to take care of his body and maintain a strong immune system through the tour. Sugar and trans fats will only hurt his immune system,” she said.

Drake has completed several Ironman triathlons and is currently training for Ironman Idaho, held in June. She will keep in touch with Curtin during his summer tour, which ends on Sept. 7.

Sally Drake is a level I USAT coach, level 3 USAC certified coach, certified personal trainer and certified spinning instructor.

Dr. John Curtin is a chiropractor and owner of Aligned Chiropractic in Lake Saint Louis.

See the P3 Triathlon Tour website and read this article for more information on the project.

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