December is always a month that challenges me with what I should be doing in my training. Usually I’m coming off an A race in November and naturally need a bit of a break from structured training but then it comes time to get the mojo back with some structured training. But what to do in December? My first race is over 6 months away…should I really be training that hard? Is so dark and cold (I know I sound like a wimp). The weather this year has been the biggest obstacle with a real winter hitting us in Ohio shortly after I returned from the family vacation in Miami. After a couple weeks of serious cold weather in December that 80 degree weather in Miami seems a season ago instead of just 4 weeks ago.

To get back to the routine I made my way back to my masters swim group this week for the first time in a month. Wow…with just one month out of the pool my fitness level was down significantly.  It was nice to hear the winter training banter among my fellow teammates at the pool…even Ross Hartley flexing his biceps and asking what I thought of his crossfit made guns (they are still tiny Ross ;).  I left feeling very inspired and ready to put together my winter training plan…even found myself on the CrossFit Future website. Might need to give that a try.

In this months newsletter check out the latest updates on the nearly sold out American Triple-T, the Helen GA Training Camp and more information on when 2014 registration opens for all HFP events.  Hopefully this will serve to motivate you too and get you through the cold dark days of winter.

So here’s to a great winter and training.

Bring it!

Shannon Kurek
aka HFP Man

DECEMBER NEWS AND UPDATES
The American Triple-T continues to be on record pace with just 84 spots left as of December 10th.  All on-site lodging at Shawnee Resort & Conference Center is completely sold out with available lodging still available in Portsmouth and nearby Adams County.  The 2014 participant list is a who’s who of American Triple-T racing with past champions young and old returning to continue the tradition of very deep fields.  Among the returning past champions is Canada’s Richard Pady but this time around Richard’s not going at it alone and we’ll be racing with another TBA fast teammate.  This is gonna be fun! Some interesting facts for the 2014 American Triple-T. As of now 23% of the field is from Ohio but most impressively is nearly 10% of the field is representing Canada. There are 25+ states and 3 countries being represented with a participant from Switzerland coming from the furthest distance. Don’t miss out on the fun – REGISTER NOW.

Now is a good time to start planning your 2014 season and we have just the deal to not only get your entire 2014 season planned out BUT also save you significant dollars in the process. On January 1 all registration opens for the entire 2014 season AND anyone registering for any HFP event through January 15th will get a discount of 25% during HFP’s annual Super Sale. Use the code “HFPSUPERSALE2014” when registering online during this time to get your discount.

Looking for a spring training get-a-way to put on your schedule or a carrot to get you out the door this winter? The HFP Helen Georgia Training Camp on March 31 to April 6 may just be the ticket.  In the past this camp has been reserved for the hardcore triathlete looking for a huge training block to kickstart their season. However, this year we’ve added another level to the camp that will feature a less intense schedule but still provide a challenge and all the camaraderie that the camp is known for. This less intense camp will be led by the husband and wife team of Chuck & Deb Battaglia. Along with a reduced training schedule will be a group that will be accommodating for the “less intense” triathlete. Register between January 1-15 and use the HFP Super Sale discount code and get 25% off your camp fee.

Last month we teased you about a major announcement coming very soon…we are very close to being able to release the details.  HFP Racing will also be making a non-race related announcement in the coming weeks too that we are very excited about that will allow us to take our events to another level through some major technology advancements. Stay tuned for more details. We love surprises 🙂

Here are some new events we announced in October you may not of been aware of:
RACING FOR RECOVERY 45 MILE & 70.3 MILE TRIATHLON & DUATHLON
June 15, 2014
Maumee Bay State Park – Oregon, Ohio
(In junction with Maumee Bay Triathlon & Duathlon)

MOHICAN ENDURANCE FESTIVAL
June 22, 2014
Mohican Lodge & Conference Center – Perrysville, Ohio