To hit the sweet spot of energy balance, an endurance athlete should have a proper fueling plan to ingest enough calories. Athletes and elite athletes generally do not consume enough calories to meet the demands of their sport. However, as studies have shown, when energy intake and micronutrient intake were adjusted to the athletes’ training schedules, performance and race times improve. 

Triathletes, or really endurance athletes in general, are a particular breed. We tend to be hyper-focused on the details and enjoy living a regimented and controlled lifestyle. Often though, life shows us that it has different plans. When Professional Triathlete Matt Russell was 8 years old, his mother was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. Throughout the five years that she battled the disease, Matt learned many valuable lessons from her, including how important determination and carrying a positive attitude can be. Those lessons in determination and positivity were pulled to the ultimate test in 2017. 

By now you’ve probably had a race that has either been postponed to a later date this fall or otherwise cancelled until next year's event. For me, 2020 was supposed to be an exciting year of racing as a member of the USA Paratriathlon National Team as a guide for blind triathlete Brad Snyder as we looked to qualify and race at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Just like the Olympics, the Paralympics were pushed back a year to 2021 along with most (potentially all) of the ITU races this year.

Let’s be honest, we don’t know what life can throw at us. Unexpected illnesses, wildfires, natural disasters, and more can happen anywhere and can hit without warning. A lot of us have the same question — How can we be prepared to take care of ourselves and our loved ones in case of an emergency? To help you navigate this complicated and somewhat stress-inducing question, we did some research and created a list of 10 things recommended you keep on hand in order to be prepared for an emergency.