Triathlon News and Notes: NYC Triathlon Sets 2021 Date, a Pro Pregnancy, and More

Sarah True expecting her first baby in July

Life Time Sets Date for 2021 Verizon New York City Triathlon

The New York City Triathlon has been a staple on the tri scene for two decades. And while the 2020 race was cancelled, race host Life Time is going full steam ahead with plans for 2021, pending evolving health guidelines and final city approval. The race is now set for July 11, with entries determined by a lottery that opens on April 14. (The lottery will follow a guaranteed, first-access window from March 31 to April 13 for athletes who deferred their 2020 registration.) Aside from new safety protocols in place, including the requirement of proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for all participants and staff within 72 hours of the event, the field will also be limited. But the competition should still be fierce, especially among the pro field, with $5,000, $1,500, and $1,000 going to the first, second and third-place male and female winners, respectively. 

Triathlete Beth Potter runs record-setting 5K, creates big buzz

In a development no one saw coming, Scottish elite runner-turned-triathlete Beth Potter, 29, clocked a 14:41 5K in England last week. The remarkably quick time was the fastest any woman has ever covered 5,000 meters on the road, but the record will not be validated due to the lack of doping control and certified timers at the race. Potter, who switched to triathlon after running the 10,000m for Great Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics, showed off her immaculate fitness by winning the Super League Tri Arena Games in London two weeks ago, beating Lucy Charles-Barclay with impressive swim and bike speed in addition to her unrivaled run. Just one week later, she ran the 5K–and garnered headlines around the world with news stories musing about everything from whether she should go back to track to attempt another Olympic berth (team GB already selected their triathlon team for Tokyo in 2019) and the obvious impact of “super shoes” (she wore the new carbon fiber Metaspeed Sky from Asics). For her part, Potter, a former physics teacher who still tutors five days a week, says she was shocked by her massive PR, previously attributing her fitness gains to training with an elite tri squad including the Brownlee brothers.

PTO plans to elevate the French National Champs

The Professional Triathletes Organization continues to expand its reach around the world with a recent partnership with the French Triathlon Federation. The new relationship means that the French National Championships in the South of France on June 6 will have media and marketing support, plus a professional prize purse of more than $15,000 (€13,000) all furnished by the PTO. In addition, PTO pros in the race (which features a 1.9km swim, 93km bike, and 20k run) are eligible for coveted Collins Cup qualification points for a potential berth into the high-stakes race set for September. “Once again we are very grateful to find opportunities to support local and regional races and our triathlon community,” Charles Adamo, Executive Chairman of the PTO said in a statement. “The commitment of Triathlon France…to overcome and host an event in these difficult times demonstrates that united, our sport will not be defeated.”

USAT enhances their return to racing guidelines

With the hopes of opening up more races in 2021, USA Triathlon has announced additional resources as part of its Safe Return to Multisport initiative. The new resources include guidelines for COVID-19 contact tracing and guidelines for volunteers. USAT also held a virtual town hall earlier this week to offer information about the Safe Return plans so athletes can better plan their 2021 seasons.

Jesse Thomas talks about skiing his way to triathlon success

Recently retired pro Jesse Thomas is profiled on FasterSkier about, among other things, how he used cross-country skiing to supplement his triathlon training during winters in his hometown of Bend, Oregon. Thomas, a fan-favorite who most notably won the Wildflower Triathlon six times and saw success in Ironman racing as well, says skiing helped him build endurance while avoiding injuries. 

RELATED: The Triathlete Hour Podcast: Jesse Thomas Officially Retires

Podcast Notes

• Prolific podcaster Taren Gessell (AKA Triathlon Taren) celebrates his 200th episode with a look back at his favorite episodes, including clips with  Lucy Charles-Barclay, Tim Don, Patrick Lange, Gustav Eden, and Ben Hoffman. 
• In the lead-up to this weekend’s Ironman 70.3 Texas, the Crushing Iron podcast covers the course and offers up race tips that can apply to other venues as well.
• And on the Ironman 70.3 Texas front, race favorite Sam Long checks in with ProTriNews–a new podcast hosted by Kyle Glass, Talbot Cox, and Pat Lemiuex–to talk about his lead-up to the race.
• Tim Davis discusses his memoir TRIPOLAR: The Story of a Bipolar Triathlete and gets real about his recovery from addiction and how he used triathlon and ultrarunning to help him on A Different Life Story.
• PTO board member and just-retired pro triathlete Dylan McNiece chats all things PTO on The Real Triathlon podcast with pros Garrick Loewen, Jackson Laundry, and Nicholas Chase.
• Our editor-in-chief Kelly O’Mara turned the tables and interviews her Triathlete Hour co-host Laura Siddall about her journey to becoming one of the fastest British Ironman finishers to date.
• Hear from PurplePatch Fitness coach Matt Dixon about his unique coaching style, his tips for time-starved triathletes, how to maintain expectations, and more on Yogi Triathlete.
• Change Makers offers a touching tribute to Dick Hoyt, the man who famously pushed his son Rick in a wheelchair to the finish line of several epic events, including the Ironman World Championships in Kona.
• New mom Chelsea Sodaro chats with fellow pro tri parent Anja Ippach of Germany, who had a daughter, Pauline, in May, on the HOKA and IRONMAN Beyond podcast.