Published January 30, 2010 12:19AM
Written by: Susan Grant
I’m just going to come right out there and say it: I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect at Friday’s Tri Expo. Sure, I knew top names like Dean Karnazes and Craig Alexander were going to be on hand giving talks about race preparation and competition, but don’t most people have to work on Fridays?
Well, either secretaries around Southern California were bombarded with “I’m out sick today” phone messages or there is some sort of federal holiday nobody bothered to tell me about because Competitor Group’s first annual Tri Expo was officially a hit. While the list of clinics and vendors is massive, let me just give you an idea of some of the highlights I saw and heard while there today:
12 p.m. Sat down to a tasty lunch and Q&A with Olympian Sarah Haskins and the great folks at Mission Skincare. They are rolling out several new and improved products in 2010, including a muscle rub that Haskins had a large role in helping to develop. One of the coolest things about the rub is it’s vanishing menthol scent, because while athletes want to know and feel that their rub is working, they usually don’t want to clear a room with their medicine cabinet-esque scent. Another cool item is the ultra-grip gel, which dehydrates the palms of your hands enhance your grip on everything from bike shifters to tennis rackets (it’s also good before job interviews and first dates).
1:30: Went to check out some of the booths, where I saw the newest Speedplay pedals, Clif Shot Roks (delicious!) and all the newest triathlon bikes from dozens of companies. Were there free samples? Yes. Did I leave with a bag stuffed full of them. Yep.
2 p.m.: I stopped by the Trigger Point booth where company founder Cassidy Phillips sat me down to talk about body alignment (and why mine needs so much work). I’m still in the rehabilitation stages following a bad car accident where I broke my pelvis in several places. Phillips did some active release on my foot, rib cage and calf, and within seconds I could feel my pelvis align and I could lift my knee up toward my chest on my bad side with ease. If you’ve never taken the time to learn about the importance of body alignment and how it can be keeping you from reaching your performance potential, I suggest you visit the crew at Trigger Point yourself.
2:30 p.m.: I stopped by to check out Andy Potts discuss the newest TYR products and his 2010 racing plans as he taped a segment for TriCenter.
3 p.m.: I caught a glimpse of Triathlete senior editor Matt Fitzgerald as he discussed his new book, “Racing Weight” and fielded questions about how to reach one’s peak performance weight to a standing-room only crowd. I made a mental note to lay off the free Clif Shot Roks and continued on my way.
Saturday promises to just as jam-packed, and begins at 7:30 a.m. with a Breakfast Burrito Bike Ride around Mission Bay with Craig Alexander, Chris Lieto, Kristin Armstrong and Chris Carmichael. Later on at 3 p.m. you can hear ultrarunner phenomenon Dean Karnazes discuss what it takes to be an ultra-distance runner. I hope to see you there!