Meet CycleOps Powered Athlete Linsey Corbin. What drives her? How does power help her training and racing? What are her goals?

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This past week, triathlon coach extraordinaire Matt Dixon hosted his first-ever triathlon training camp, and CycleOps Power was there to help the athletes optimize the benefits of training with power. We brought a fleet of PowerTap wheels for the riders to use, and we had our video cameras rolling for some exclusive footage of the inside world of a professional triathlete. We’re working on editing the videos, so stay tuned for those, but in the meantime, here are some notes from the trip.

1. There is no “I” in the word triathlete

Well, okay, there is an “I” in the spelling, but Matt Dixon’s group of Purple Patch pro triathletes displayed that while triathlon might be an individual sport, these athletes have a great deal of camaraderie and respect for each other. In an interview with Meredith Kessler, she mentioned that if she couldn’t win a given race, she would be very happy to see her teammate or friend win instead.

2. Matt Lieto and Linsey Corbin have mad handling skills

As a passenger in the sag vehicle descending Mount Lemmon behind a group of time trial bike-equipped triathletes led by Linsey and Matt, I watched the group catch, paceline with, and then drop a professional road cyclist. I was impressed.

3. Triathletes are ambitious

I assumed as much, since anyone juggling three athletic disciplines must be very dedicated, but when Matt Dixon handed me the daily itinerary for the training camp, I thought it simply wasn’t possible to do all of it. The days were packed from 6 AM to 6 PM with not only swimming, biking, and running, but also training lectures, functional training, and (of course) eating. The daily schedules were continually modified a bit, as there really wasn’t enough time to do everything, but they came close. This leads me to my next point…

4. Any successfully training camp requires improvisation

Matt Dixon and the Purple Patch crew worked like a well-oiled machine, adjusting to whatever was thrown at them. With multiple athletes and multiple activities come endless opportunities for something to go wrong, but Matt and his team rolled with the flow and kept things moving smoothly. For example, when the grounds keeper at the local community college wanted the group to leave the track, Matt figured it out and the group was allowed to finish their workout. No problem.

5. Linsey Corbin eats toaster pastries

Yep, that’s right folks. You heard it here first. We were sitting pool-side listening to a lecture from expert swimmer Gerry Rodriguez after the Mount Lemmon ride and brick run, and Ms. Corbin pulled out the Pop Tarts. Fast, convenient, easily available fuel for when you’re in a pinch. It’s nice to know the next time I have a craving for Pop Tarts, I’ll have a good argument of “if it’s good enough for Linsey…”

Thanks to Matt Dixon and the Purple Patch crew for welcoming us on their training camp. It was a great trip and a fun time getting to know all the athletes better. Best of luck to all of them in their 2011 seasons!

How does a triathlete living and training in Missoula, Montana train for and win a world-class triathlon in January? A lot of dedication to training indoors! Last weekend at triathlon-turned-duathlon, Ironman Pucon 70.3, Linsey took the top honors. It was her first win at the event in the 3 years she has competed there. What was her secret? Well, it didn't hurt that she had enough commitment to ride her PowerBeam trainer for 3 hours. Watch her video below or follow this link to her blog to get her exact workout.

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by Linsey Corbin

It still doesn't seem like that's me - Ironman Coeur D'Alene Champion! I only slept a few hours after the race and when I woke up I had to make sure it was true - looking at the photos from the paper to believe it. I thought just finishing an Ironman was an adrenaline rush. Let me tell you - winning one takes it to another level. In my finish-line interview, I told the crowd it was such an awesome feeling that everyone needed to win one!

For me, winning Ironman Coeur D'Alene was about chasing your dreams.

It has taken me a few days to gather my thoughts about the 2009 Ironman World Championships. What a remarkable day that took place. I completed my 4th Ironman World Championship crossing the finish line in 11th place. I certainly did not have the race that I dreamed of out there, but Saturday was a good reminder of how tough this sport really is. Particularly the event in Kona.

by Linsey Corbin

I am writing in during my taper (rest) period before the Ironman World Championships, which will be taking place in less than a week. I came out to Hawaii on September 1st to help prepare for the Big Dance. I love coming out here early as you can get in some great cycling on the course, your body can acclimatize to the rough conditions (heat, wind & humidity), and you get in a nice block of final training.