Larry's News (Regional President)
Our season of races is just about done. The last regional
championship of 2003 just wrapped up: the collegiate championship
at the Fall Chill. It was great seeing all of those there from
Colorado University, Colorado State University and the Air Force. I
even saw a Wyoming jersey, so maybe next year there can be even more
colleges participate.

There are just a few more races left for the year on the calendar,
Kokopelli in Utah, and the new Youth Duathlon School series in
Colorado Springs. As usual check out the race calendar,
http://www.usat-rockymountain.org/calendar2003.html for links to get
details.

Special thanks go to Jose Valdes for his relentless work on the club
scene. It was great seeing the club awards presented so soon after
the completion of the races. Also thanks to Jim Flint and his crew
of officials for making races as safe and fair as possible.

For you race directors, thanks once again for sanctioning with
USAT. It is great to see such a long calendar of events. If you
still need to, please submit your necessary work to the national
office.

Now we start looking towards next year. If you are interested in
running for a spot on the regional Board of Directors, please send
me an email to larryseidman@hotmail.com by Nov 30. We will put
together the ballots in December of this year and have the election
in the first quarter of 2004.

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Changing a flat tire out on the bike course by Jim Flint

How long has it been, really, since you have changed a flat tire?
In case you have only taken your bike into the shop for that lately
(and I know there are some of you out there as I've seen you walking
back to the Transition Zone with your flat tires), there are some
wonderful new tools available which really simplify the process.

First, head on down to your local bike shop and pick up a CO2 16g
cartridge inflator and a couple spare cartridges. Then purchase at
least two spare tubes for your size wheel and tire. If you are
running the deep dish wheels, buy three or four of the lightweight
stem tubes now because they are in short supply during the middle of
the season. Purchase the inflator that uses a screw-in cartridge
and has a simple press-on head for your tube type. Most upper end
bikes will use a 'presta' valve, which is the skinny type with the
screw valve stem, versus the larger 'schrader' valve. Some CO2
inflators have a case that screws in around the cartridge. These
are heavier, although they do often use the cheaper un-threaded
cartridges. Your choice.

Next, practice taking only one side of the tire off the rim and
removing the tube with the other side's bead still in the rim. Once
the tube is out, I like to run a finger or thumb lightly over the
inside of the tire to see if I can feel any thorns sticking through.
If you feel one, you will have to take that out before you put the
new tube in or you will be doing this all over again in a few
minutes. :-)

Take a few extra seconds to make sure there are no folded spots in
the tube when you place the new tube back in the rim. If possible,
use only your fingers to place the tire back on the rim after the
tube has been inserted. Often this is easier than it sounds. Grip
the tire with both hands, fingers on the back side and thumbs on the
side you want to push back onto the rim. With a bit of practice you
can easily work the tire back on and not have to carry any tools
except the tubes and inflator + one extra cartridge. There are some
really nice tools though to help you if you don't feel you have the
strength to put the tire back on. My favorite is the Tire Stick
which has rounded edges and you just slip it in-between the rim and
tire and pull it around the rim. On goes the tire. Feel free to asi
your local bike shop mechanic to show you how this is done.

For standard 700c wheels, the 16g cartridge brings your pressure
right up to 110-120 pounds. You just can't pump a tire by hand to
that pressure and it saves MINUTES using the CO2 over a hand pump.
You'll never walk back to the TZ again if you get CO2'ized. One
last item: purchase the foam coated cartridges. When the CO2 is
released, it's like an instant ice cube and your sweaty hands will
FREEZE to a non-insulated cartridge. :-)

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THE RACE TO ATHENS BEGINS - Colorado Springs, CO (March 27, 2003) - The six
event race series leading to the Olympic Games in Athens,
Greece in 2004 is ready to begin with its first event: the ITU World
Cup, St. Anthony's in St. Petersburg, FL on April 26.
http://www.usatriathlon.org/Frames/fs_news.htm

BE A PART OF THE RACE TO ATHENS - Colorado Springs, CO (April 4,
2003) -The 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece will be only the second
time that the sport of triathlon has been included in competition.
As we Race to Athens, we realize that we have only begun in the
development of future Olympians. Now is the time for all of us to
make a commitment to the future of our sport. Help us attain
Olympic gold. http://www.usatriathlon.org/Downloads/RTA_Bag_Donation.pdf

NATIONAL AGE-GROUP CHAMPIONSHIP - Colorado Springs, CO (April 4,
2003) - If you are interested in competing in the 2003 USA Triathlon
National Age Group Championship in Shreveport, LA October 4, 2003 or
at the World's Qualifier in Menomonie, WI on September 20; please go
to www.signmeupsports.com to register. Both of these events will
qualify athletes for worlds
competition. Nationals will qualify 16 athletes per age group to
represent the United States in Portugal (May 2004). The World's
Qualifier will be qualifying six athletes per age group for New
Zealand (December 2003).

Aid available for new races
http://www.usatriathlon.org/fs_newsPC.asp?File=25-03-2003_0.txt


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