At the starting line: THREE’s inaugural newsletter
Thanks for checking out our inaugural dispatch, and welcome to THREE!
If you're like me, then you've been holed up indoors trying to figure out ways to stay active while dealing with gym and pool closures, race cancellations and physical-distancing requirements. It seems only natural the first draft of this newsletter should be focused on finding a way forward in this new normal.
THREE’s mission is to empower triathletes to thrive both on- and off-course. Right now feels a little more “off-course” than any of us could have imagined, but we are endurance athletes. We keep going. Every edition of this newsletter will share insights and articles focused on three core ideals:
Train
Brain
Break
You've probably heard these more commonly referred to as Body, Mind and Soul, but we're trying to be a little less existential. These newsletters (2x/month) will share articles, products, podcasts and videos which speak to one or more of our core ideals. Sometimes the products we share will even be THREE's limited-edition drops. Stay tuned!
Our goal is to build a worldwide community of athletes united with motivation to create the healthiest version of themselves. We commit to being direct and transparent. I'm an athlete, not a doctor, certified trainer or nutritionist. In addition to sharing what's worked for athletes like me, we'll include a range of perspectives from qualified voices. There is strength in diversity, so please help us spread the word. Invite your friends. Heck, right now it’s one of the only things to which you can invite them.
Thanks for standing on THREE’s starting line. This lifestyle community for triathletes will not build itself, and we’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Joe Maloy, 2016 U.S. Olympic Triathlete, Co-Founder and Editor at Large
For most triathletes, the biggest training challenge during quarantine is maintaining swim fitness without a pool. If that’s you, this 20 minute dryland workout for swimmers might help keep some of the core strength that’s essential for swimming, while activating many of the muscles we use in the pool.
Social distancing has also sent a lot of us back onto our bike trainers. If you have a newfound affinity for Zwift, check out this profile of Zwift’s number-one ranked rider in the world.
If you’re new to Zwift, Redbull put together eight hacks and tips to get the most out of the virtual training platform.
Constant access to your kitchen might have you experiencing more food cravings than normal. Here's an interesting article which explains why these cravings are happening and what you can do about it.
Keeping your mental fitness while practicing social distancing is its own form of training. The senior sports psychologist for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee shared with Runner’s World the mental strategies and coping mechanisms he’s using to help Olympic hopefuls.
Sometimes doing good can help you feel good. If you’re in a place to give, the USA Triathlon Foundation is accepting donations to provide support through grant funding to help those in the multisport community impacted by COVID-19.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is the psychologist who recognized and named the “flow state.” In his 2004 TED talk, he discussed why challenge is necessary for us to be truly happy. It reminds us of the importance in seeking challenge despite a lack of race opportunities.
If there’s one positive aspect to staying home and staying healthy, it’s that the pace of life has slowed down a bit and enabled some of us to have a greater appreciation for the simpler things in our lives. Rest and recovery is an important part of training. “Stress + Rest = Growth”
Normally we’d be hard pressed to find a correlation between professional football and triathlon, but Tom Brady had some advice for balancing life during his recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show. “We can’t control what’s going to happen externally, but what we can control are things that relate to us—what we put in our body, the thoughts we think. Are we fearful or are we optimistic? Are we positive or are we negative?”
You might also find athletic inspiration from binge-watching ESPN’s “The Last Dance.” The 10-part documentary series focuses on the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty during the 1997-98 championship season and includes never-before-seen footage.
