The interview with Ginny Poyner that appeared in last months newsletter has been featured across the net in publications such as Inside Triathlon, Trifuel, and Active.com. The response has been overwhelming. Ginny and I both continue to receive emails daily from people who have shared similar experiences. Thanks so much for your stories and words of encouragement, and please be safe out there! - Matt Russ

Many athletes do not practice transitions and end up fumbling on race day, wasting valuable seconds. In a sprint race this could make the difference in a placement position.

The three most common causes of injury in runners are doing too much, too soon, not stretching enough (aren't we all guilty of this?) and improper footwear.

The good news is that these overuse injuries can be treated, and to a large extent avoided with preventive measures.

The problem with athletes is that they often do not listen to their bodies. We are trained to ignore pain and persevere; this is the nature of endurance.

Because this higher than necessary consumption of protein can offset the intake of other essential energy nutrients (carbohydrates), it is not surprising that many athletes struggle with low energy during a work out. Ironically, endurance athletes require almost as much protein as body builders for their normal training.

He who recovers first wins, and athletes are always looking for ways to speed the recovery process.

I recently spent the morning with Steve DeMoss, owner of the North Fulton Big Peach Running Co. store. I do not give an endorsement without first doing a thoroughly review of the product or service. I started by sending one of our athletes in as a "secret shopper," and followed up with a personal visit. I have to say that this is the best running store I have ever set foot in.

I watched Steve spend over a half hour with one runner, putting him through an entire process of video gait analysis and shoe selection. This free service in itself is worth paying for. Steve is a competitive runner and triathlete himself and understands the unique characteristics of running off the bike. For personal attention, expertise, and service you can not beat this store.

Congratulations to Sport Factory sponsored athlete Amy Kloner. Amy won the overall amateur division at Powerman Alabama and beat out half the pros in the process. She followed that up with a smoking fast time of 1:16 at the Lake Lanier duathlon for the win. Amy's next race is the Baja half Ironman and we look forward to her results. Amy is coached by Matt Russ.