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We love it when we hear from our sponsored clubs anytime of the year, but the holidays bring particular cheer to XTERRA Wetsuits. The University of Alabama Triathlon Team sent us a great holiday card, along with a note, which is below. Good luck during your Virtual Training Camp and happy holidays!

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On behalf of the Alabama Triathlon Team I wanted to take a moment to thank you and XTERRA for your support. I am happy to report that the bags, caps, and shirts you sent are being put to good use! We're about to enter into our "Virtual Training Camp" season, where members earn points for off season training, so we'll all be logging some pool time! I've heard from a few members that they're hoping Santa brings them some cash so they can buy a wetsuit for the 2010 season, so we'll be in touch!

Thanks again for your support.

Happy Holidays,

Dave Aurich
VP of Development & Sponsor Relations
The University of Alabama Triathlon Team

We know how hard it is to jump into that chilly water during the winter months - but here are some helpful swim tips for your off-season training! It's never too early to prepare for 2010's triathlon season.

1. What you can control, don't forget and do it – there are some things that you can control just before the race that will make a difference psychologically. Here are two examples based on experience. First, put your timing chip and strap under your wetsuit. Then, you won't lose it on the swim to waves or someone's hands. Second, if your watch band sometimes comes loose – you'll know this from swimming laps – then tape it closed. That way, it won't have it come loose while you swim, causing annoying drag with each stroke.

2. Swim in the pool with a race cap. Some people never do this, and as a result they are annoyed by the swim cap on race day. Find where it sits comfortable on your head and stays there. For example, does it feel better completely covering your ears or only half-way.

3. Cold water preparation – If you think that the water will be cold – as in under 62 degrees – consider practicing with ear plugs and/or a thermal cap beforehand. Try practicing with two swim caps. Remember that your head is a release point for heat, so that after a mile of swimming your head may wish it didn't have that cap. But, if you've practiced in the pool beforehand, you'll know on race-day.

4. Bilateral breathing – you don't have to be a bilateral swimmer, as in breathing on both sides during a race. But, you should know how to breathe on both sides so that if the waves are hitting you from your left side you can breathe to your right, or vice versa. It's a matter of knowing that you can do it on race day if you must. Therefore, cool down once a week with 25 yards on your left, 25 on your right, 25 on your left, 25 on your right. Do this once a week.

5. Find your place, find your rhythm – you will eventually find your place – "clear water" – at some point in the race. If you don't find it right away, move parallel but away from the buoys, but always breathing on the side that you can see other swimmers so that you know you are going in the right direction. Then, find your rhythm like you have in the pool on a good workout.

6. Practice chaotic swimming – the start of a triathlon swim, and maybe the first 500 yards, is chaotic and crazy. You will likely feel totally defeated and wish you were not racing. The only way to get over this feeling, amongst other horrible feelings, is to practice chaotic swimming and get used to it. Here are four ways to practice a swim start's chaos:
*Enter a sprint triathlon (or even a race with a shorter swim – or just an open water swim of 750 meters or less) and put yourself right in the middle of the start no matter how good a swimmer you are. Then, think about why you are doing this – practicing chaos – while you work your way to find your place/clear-water. Then, find your rhythm. Now that you are in a race, and hopefully a triathlon, practice your swift transition in T1, enjoy your bike ride, swift T2, and a fun run.
*Do a workout breathing every fourth breath. In other words, make your lungs suffer a bit more than usual. Get used to that feeling and how to overcome it – in other words, how to eventually work through the feeling of shortness of breath that you'll experience from the race start.
* Swim 25 yards with your left eye closed, then another 25 with your right eye closed. Next, swim 25 yards fast (both eyes open), turn to go back the length of the pool and let water in one goggle, now swim the remaining 25 with that one eye closed but the goggle still on. Then, fix the goggle at the end of the lap, and swim another 25, turn and knock the other goggle to let water in.
*Get an idea of what you're in for by studying race-start photos – go onto ASI photos and look at the aerial views, or youtube.com for the swim start at last year's race.

7. Practice your transition –
* Be in the wrong gear to exit the transition area
* Fumble to put on socks (it's a warm Texas or So. Cal. race, so you really don't need them),
* The straps on your shoes are closed (they should be open),
* The strap on your helmet is tangled and clasped (it should be open, and laying on your aero bars if they'll let you),
* You have trouble putting on a dry shirt on your wet body (you should wear it under your wetsuit),
* You put sun screen on your neck (you should wear bodyglide with SPF)

8. Study the swim course – know the swim course forward and backward. Study the buoy positions, and how many buoys it is to the turn. And, is there one buoy or two between the two outside turn buoys? Knowing the swim course will make you comfortable on race day.

9. Practice the race start – practice the first 50 yards of a race start. Find out whether you start from the beach, partly in the water, or all the way in the water. Then, practice that exact scenario from lining up on the beach to the start. Set your alarm to go off in a few minutes and just stand around getting ready. You'll be anxious for your watch to go off, but don't look at it. When it goes off hit your stop watch like you'd do on race-day and then take off into the water. If it is a water start, anticipate the start and get your body flat in the water. Now, swim 50 yards all-out so that the adrenalin is rushing and your arms are getting a bit of that lactic acid which you'll flush out once you relax and just swim.

Happy Training!

Mark Allen, a legend, and still pretty darn fast SPEAKS this Thursday on the Simon Gown Show. XTERRA WETSUITS proudly sponsors Mark Allen's coaching - Mark Allen Online - and we take credit for all his Ironman wins even though we were not around back in the day.

Mark is the co-author of Fit Soul-Fit Body, along with Brant Secunda. Mark is a testament to determination losing six times at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, until 1989 when he won the first of six consecutive Ironman World Championships. He also owns a streak of winning 20 consecutive races between 1988-1990, went undefeated in 10 trips to the Nice International Championships, as well as being named Triathlete of the Year six times by Triathlete Magazine and being declared the Worlds Fittest Man in 1997 by Outside Magazine.