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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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ericmulk wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
SteveM wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
I swim harder, longer and more often than ever. And with the group, it's way more fun! I was previously doing most of my swimming alone, with only occasional group sessions and training camps.


Firstly thanks for doing this, it’s been really interesting & congratulations on the win.

Could I ask, when/why did you start swimming 6+ times a week?


I've done swim focused weeks or months in the past and a couple swim training camps (with Magnolia Masters in Texas), but it wasn't until I moved back to Guelph last fall that I began consistently swimming 6-7 times most weeks of the year. That was also when I began consistently swimming with a group (mostly Guelph Triathlon Project, sometimes LPC).
Despite being my first competitive sport, swimming has always been my weakest discipline. I've had some shockingly poor swim performances and lost at least half a dozen races in the swim (if that can ever be said). Even last year, my swim performances were unpredictable and I often found myself in the unfortunate position of leading the chase pack (ideally, you're at the back of the fastest pack you can hang with). I knew that something had to be done about my swimming if I truly wanted to be a world class triathlete.
I experimented with various swim changes, everything from stroke analysis (mostly not helpful), technical/drill focus (complete waste of time), USRPT (good, but brutally hard), training camps (helpful, but hard to maintain gains). The two things that I found most helpful were swimming with a group and swimming more frequently. Those two factors go hand in hand, since it's easier to swim more when you're having fun with great lane-mates!
Another factor in my swim progress that I forgot the mention earlier was my switch to mostly two beat kicking. I gradually began introducing two beat kicking as an alternative to my usual and the more common six beat kick. At first, it felt awkward, but gradually became more efficient at slower speeds. The pace break point at which it was more efficient to switch from two beat to six beat gradually sped up. Now I'm at the point where I almost exclusively two beat kick and it's more efficient for anything up to high end threshold (~1:11/100scm). In long course races, a two beat kick feels so cruisy and efficient. I now use a two beat kick almost the entire swim and reserve the less efficient but more powerful six beat kick for the fast start, any surges and briefly at the end to wake up my legs. This kicking change was the closest thing I've had to a technical epiphany in swimming.

Cody - Congrats on the great race!!! As a swimmer turned triathlete, I found your comments on how you went about improving your swim very interesting. Swimming was your first sport but yet you consider, or until coming 2nd out of the water this past race, used to consider, the swim to be your weakest discipline of three; this is quite unusual in my experience but i can see how it could happen, since kids start swimming on teams at a younger age than they start running in races, much less cycling in races. Your analysis of what helped you improve squares 100% with my experiences, espec the part about drills being a waste of time. Your deliberately switching from a 6-beat to 2-beat kick is interesting b/c in my experience, most swimmers just unconsciously select the level of kicking they need/want. As a well-known swim book put it, many 2-beat kickers just fall into this kick as a way of surviving swimming 6000 or more yards/meters per workout; IOW, they find that using the 2-beat is just easier due to less effort needed in the legs. That's how it happened for me back in my teenage swim years when first started swimming twice a day. In any case, you've provided a really good case for the need to swim long and often in order to improve, and that a person needs to mostly just swim, with very limited drills. :)

Cody - on the bolded portion, I'm curious to get your opinion of stroke analysis for weaker swimmers who are looking to make improvements. I fall into the weaker swimmer category and as I start to age, a little run speed is falling off and am considering trying to pick up the swim speed to compensate in races. Larger swim blocks in the past have typically not helped much and I asssume your comments are directed more at the folks who already swim sub 1:30/100m?

Last part of the question around who you believe are good AG swim coaches in the Halton/Guelph area that can measurably help with improvements.

Congrats on a great race and appreciate the insight into your training and racing.
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [MustGoFaster] [ In reply to ]
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MustGoFaster wrote:
ericmulk wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
SteveM wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
I swim harder, longer and more often than ever. And with the group, it's way more fun! I was previously doing most of my swimming alone, with only occasional group sessions and training camps.


Firstly thanks for doing this, it’s been really interesting & congratulations on the win.

Could I ask, when/why did you start swimming 6+ times a week?


I've done swim focused weeks or months in the past and a couple swim training camps (with Magnolia Masters in Texas), but it wasn't until I moved back to Guelph last fall that I began consistently swimming 6-7 times most weeks of the year. That was also when I began consistently swimming with a group (mostly Guelph Triathlon Project, sometimes LPC).
Despite being my first competitive sport, swimming has always been my weakest discipline. I've had some shockingly poor swim performances and lost at least half a dozen races in the swim (if that can ever be said). Even last year, my swim performances were unpredictable and I often found myself in the unfortunate position of leading the chase pack (ideally, you're at the back of the fastest pack you can hang with). I knew that something had to be done about my swimming if I truly wanted to be a world class triathlete.
I experimented with various swim changes, everything from stroke analysis (mostly not helpful), technical/drill focus (complete waste of time), USRPT (good, but brutally hard), training camps (helpful, but hard to maintain gains). The two things that I found most helpful were swimming with a group and swimming more frequently. Those two factors go hand in hand, since it's easier to swim more when you're having fun with great lane-mates!
Another factor in my swim progress that I forgot the mention earlier was my switch to mostly two beat kicking. I gradually began introducing two beat kicking as an alternative to my usual and the more common six beat kick. At first, it felt awkward, but gradually became more efficient at slower speeds. The pace break point at which it was more efficient to switch from two beat to six beat gradually sped up. Now I'm at the point where I almost exclusively two beat kick and it's more efficient for anything up to high end threshold (~1:11/100scm). In long course races, a two beat kick feels so cruisy and efficient. I now use a two beat kick almost the entire swim and reserve the less efficient but more powerful six beat kick for the fast start, any surges and briefly at the end to wake up my legs. This kicking change was the closest thing I've had to a technical epiphany in swimming.


Cody - Congrats on the great race!!! As a swimmer turned triathlete, I found your comments on how you went about improving your swim very interesting. Swimming was your first sport but yet you consider, or until coming 2nd out of the water this past race, used to consider, the swim to be your weakest discipline of three; this is quite unusual in my experience but i can see how it could happen, since kids start swimming on teams at a younger age than they start running in races, much less cycling in races. Your analysis of what helped you improve squares 100% with my experiences, espec the part about drills being a waste of time. Your deliberately switching from a 6-beat to 2-beat kick is interesting b/c in my experience, most swimmers just unconsciously select the level of kicking they need/want. As a well-known swim book put it, many 2-beat kickers just fall into this kick as a way of surviving swimming 6000 or more yards/meters per workout; IOW, they find that using the 2-beat is just easier due to less effort needed in the legs. That's how it happened for me back in my teenage swim years when first started swimming twice a day. In any case, you've provided a really good case for the need to swim long and often in order to improve, and that a person needs to mostly just swim, with very limited drills. :)


Cody - on the bolded portion, I'm curious to get your opinion of stroke analysis for weaker swimmers who are looking to make improvements. I fall into the weaker swimmer category and as I start to age, a little run speed is falling off and am considering trying to pick up the swim speed to compensate in races. Larger swim blocks in the past have typically not helped much and I asssume your comments are directed more at the folks who already swim sub 1:30/100m?

Last part of the question around who you believe are good AG swim coaches in the Halton/Guelph area that can measurably help with improvements.

Congrats on a great race and appreciate the insight into your training and racing.

Must Go - It looks like you meant to reply to Cody rather than to me. His original reply to me is up in post 150; he didn't include the bold part in his reply but rather just my questions/comments, but at least you'll be getting through to him. :)


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [dboatx] [ In reply to ]
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dboatx wrote:
Cody
Congratulations on your win!

For your bike, you mentioned you did a lot of VO2 and anaerobic during the winter months. Did you also have long easy ride on the weekends?
Did these long easy ride help you hold higher power (220w-230w like you mentioned) during the race?
Thanks

Thank you! I rarely ride really "easy", usually at least steady endurance/Zone 2 (usually >215 W). I never go noodle around for 4+ hours in Zone 1 like quite a few long course pros. I don't enjoy long rides and consider Zone 1/recovery rides almost a complete waste of my time. My longest ride all winter (until April) was 3 hours. I was at home in Canada all winter, riding exclusively indoors with cycling volume around 6-8 hours most weeks. This would typically feature one 1.5-2 hour interval ride (usually VO2), a 3 hour ride with intervals towards the end (usually VO2, sometimes tempo/threshold), and a couple 1-2 hour steady endurance rides. Over the winter, almost all my long (3 hour) rides featured intensity, unlike this summer IM block in which I did quite a few long steady rides.

The focus of my training blocks from January to June was on 70.3 racing, but I still made subtle shifts to gear up for the IM block. Later in the spring, I started to include 4+ hour rides and 40-50 km run days more often that I would for 70.3 training.

CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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I just wanted to pop back in and say, don't listen to the hecklers on the other thread that got locked. You'll never make everyone happy, and you're a great racer and even better person. Keep doing what you're doing!

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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Hi Cody. I know I am very late to the party. But I've been very busy and now read through the thread.

Congrats on the win and great race! I stumbled upon your blog three years ago and I really enjoy your insight. When I took up endurance sports I got into an eating disorder and it was quite a journey to truly figure out how detrimental it was. Now it seems so obvious.

So I have some other things that I am wondering:

- You wrote about doing a lot of hard intervals (during the non iroman build up) and that you can't go to really dark places in races too often in the season. So how hard are your hard workouts? How often do you really push yourself to the edge in training (during Vo2max sessions)?

- How is the periodisation of your season? Do you follow kind of a polarized approach with a lot of intensity for the 70.3 season and then just build in the long steady miles in the iroman build up?

- How long do you spend away from training each year and are you doing kind of similar volume year round?

Thank you very much for your insight.

10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [ToBeasy] [ In reply to ]
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ToBeasy wrote:
Hi Cody. I know I am very late to the party. But I've been very busy and now read through the thread.

Congrats on the win and great race! I stumbled upon your blog three years ago and I really enjoy your insight. When I took up endurance sports I got into an eating disorder and it was quite a journey to truly figure out how detrimental it was. Now it seems so obvious.

Thank you! Congrats on overcoming your eating disorder and speaking publicly about it.

ToBeasy wrote:
So I have some other things that I am wondering:

- You wrote about doing a lot of hard intervals (during the non iroman build up) and that you can't go to really dark places in races too often in the season. So how hard are your hard workouts? How often do you really push yourself to the edge in training (during Vo2max sessions)?

My workouts virtually never exceed what I consider about 95% effort. If I'm doing VO2 intervals, I usually stop knowing that I could do one or two more if I absolutely had to. Going this far is still quite brutal and provides a comparable training benefit without dipping into those finite psychological reserves I save for racing.

Many of my workouts don't have a fixed number of intervals and are designed to end in "failure". Early on, my coach and I had a discussion about what it means to take a session "to failure". I told him that I couldn't sustain even one or two interval sets "to failure" per week because that was a crushing emotional experience for me. You could look at this two ways; either I suck at giving my all in training, or my "all" is so extreme that it must be reserved for special occasions. I'm not sure which is more accurate!

ToBeasy wrote:
- How is the periodisation of your season? Do you follow kind of a polarized approach with a lot of intensity for the 70.3 season and then just build in the long steady miles in the iroman build up?

It's tough to give a short and simple answer to this one! Generally, I'm following the basic periodization doctrine of progressing from more to less specific. So I'm typically starting with a more polarized approach (lots of easy endurance with some very high end intervals) over the off-season. Then I'll progress towards briefer periods of less polarized, more race-specific intensity as races approach. But this is an oversimplification. I'll return to more polarized, high intensity blocks throughout the season. Some training weeks won't fit tidily into any category. As much as my coach and I like to plan and analyze, we're also making intuitive adjustments based on perceived needs or areas for improvement. Especially as I begin my final training block of the season, I'm really listening to my body on a daily basis and not planning much beyond a few days at a time.

I also use group workouts as a psychological boost throughout the year. I'll often hop in a session with Jack Laundry, Guelph Triathlon Project or LPC, even if it doesn't fit perfectly into my periodized training plan. Sometimes the benefits of training with others outweigh the benefits of religiously adhering to my specific plan.

ToBeasy wrote:
- How long do you spend away from training each year and are you doing kind of similar volume year round?

Thank you very much for your insight.

In the past, my training has been quite high monotony from week to week and month to month. While the intensity distribution varies, overall training load wasn't drastically different comparing most months. A key area that my coach has helped me with is recognizing and embracing the need for recovery, whether it's off/easy days or longer periods of downtime. Left to my own devices, I used to gravitate towards a misguided approach that many athletes fail to avoid: long strings of fairly hard days/weeks without adequate recovery. These days, there's more variation between my easier days/weeks and harder ones. The result is that I feel like I'm not training as hard as past years most of the time (with some key exceptions), but I'm clearly making progress. I can actually enjoy the recovery time I take now, because it's not guilt-ridden forced recovery triggered by pushing too hard or long.

I'm overdue to take some proper downtime. I haven't truly rested for more than a few days for as long as I can remember! At the end of this season, I plan to take a full month of rest and unstructured training. It'll probably be 1 week totally off, 1 week of just easy swimming, 2 weeks of easy/unstructured mountain biking and social jogging, before easing back into more structured training. Such a significant break may not be warranted every year, but I think it's a good idea to hit reset every once in a while.

CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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One more question. You said you consumed about 700 calories your 1st hour on the bike. Is is safe to assume that hour was lower power/effort than the rest if your ride?
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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Cody, congrats and thanks for your candid sharing of your knowledge! Really really appreciate it!

I don't have a question of my own, but MustGoFaster earlier tried to ask you a question which was accidentally replied to another STer. What he's asking also applies to me - being a slow adult-onset swimmer. So, would like to have your input on it. Thanks in advance!

MustGoFaster wrote:

Cody - on the bolded portion, I'm curious to get your opinion of stroke analysis for weaker swimmers who are looking to make improvements. I fall into the weaker swimmer category and as I start to age, a little run speed is falling off and am considering trying to pick up the swim speed to compensate in races. Larger swim blocks in the past have typically not helped much and I asssume your comments are directed more at the folks who already swim sub 1:30/100m?

Last part of the question around who you believe are good AG swim coaches in the Halton/Guelph area that can measurably help with improvements.

Congrats on a great race and appreciate the insight into your training and racing.
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [mdtrihard] [ In reply to ]
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mdtrihard wrote:
One more question. You said you consumed about 700 calories your 1st hour on the bike. Is is safe to assume that hour was lower power/effort than the rest if your ride?

Not at all! I averaged almost 280W for the first hour, the highest of the entire ride.

CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [MustGoFaster] [ In reply to ]
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MustGoFaster wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
SteveM wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
I swim harder, longer and more often than ever. And with the group, it's way more fun! I was previously doing most of my swimming alone, with only occasional group sessions and training camps.


Firstly thanks for doing this, it’s been really interesting & congratulations on the win.

Could I ask, when/why did you start swimming 6+ times a week?


I've done swim focused weeks or months in the past and a couple swim training camps (with Magnolia Masters in Texas), but it wasn't until I moved back to Guelph last fall that I began consistently swimming 6-7 times most weeks of the year. That was also when I began consistently swimming with a group (mostly Guelph Triathlon Project, sometimes LPC).
Despite being my first competitive sport, swimming has always been my weakest discipline. I've had some shockingly poor swim performances and lost at least half a dozen races in the swim (if that can ever be said). Even last year, my swim performances were unpredictable and I often found myself in the unfortunate position of leading the chase pack (ideally, you're at the back of the fastest pack you can hang with). I knew that something had to be done about my swimming if I truly wanted to be a world class triathlete.
I experimented with various swim changes, everything from stroke analysis (mostly not helpful), technical/drill focus (complete waste of time), USRPT (good, but brutally hard), training camps (helpful, but hard to maintain gains). The two things that I found most helpful were swimming with a group and swimming more frequently. Those two factors go hand in hand, since it's easier to swim more when you're having fun with great lane-mates!
Another factor in my swim progress that I forgot the mention earlier was my switch to mostly two beat kicking. I gradually began introducing two beat kicking as an alternative to my usual and the more common six beat kick. At first, it felt awkward, but gradually became more efficient at slower speeds. The pace break point at which it was more efficient to switch from two beat to six beat gradually sped up. Now I'm at the point where I almost exclusively two beat kick and it's more efficient for anything up to high end threshold (~1:11/100scm). In long course races, a two beat kick feels so cruisy and efficient. I now use a two beat kick almost the entire swim and reserve the less efficient but more powerful six beat kick for the fast start, any surges and briefly at the end to wake up my legs. This kicking change was the closest thing I've had to a technical epiphany in swimming.

Cody - on the bolded portion, I'm curious to get your opinion of stroke analysis for weaker swimmers who are looking to make improvements. I fall into the weaker swimmer category and as I start to age, a little run speed is falling off and am considering trying to pick up the swim speed to compensate in races. Larger swim blocks in the past have typically not helped much and I asssume your comments are directed more at the folks who already swim sub 1:30/100m?

Last part of the question around who you believe are good AG swim coaches in the Halton/Guelph area that can measurably help with improvements.

Congrats on a great race and appreciate the insight into your training and racing.

I definitely need to elaborate on my earlier comments about stroke analysis. Every time I've done it, the same handful of technical flaws have been pointed out, which I'm well aware of. I've never really been giving the tools or instructions to address these flaws, assuming those even exist. So for me, stroke analysis has largely been this circular exercise in frustration. The only way I've made consistent progress is through swimming hard, swimming often and swimming mindfully. Putzing around with underwater cameras, weird drills and lots of "technique-focused" swimming has been a waste of time. My time working with Magnolia Masters ingrained the principle that technique must be developed under load, i.e. when swimming fast!

I do think that stroke analysis has a place for weaker, less experienced swimmers. Of course there was a time when I wasn't even aware of my various technical flaws. Some coach, somewhere along the way must have shown or explained them to me. Earlier, I explained my view that most runners naturally gravitate towards biomechanically efficient form given the appropriate application of volume and intensity. This is true to an extent with swimming, but much less so. Most of us don't have the same intuitive sense of how to move efficiently through water and some elements of modern freestyle technique are downright counterintuitive! So I think some key pointers early along the way can be quite helpful, but stroke analysis isn't the magic bullet it's often made out to be.

I can only personally vouch for Craig Taylor and James Loaring as swim coaches in the area, but I'm sure there are many other good ones.

CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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 Cody,

Thanks for the further insight and comments.
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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Cody Beals wrote:
MustGoFaster wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
SteveM wrote:
Cody Beals wrote:
I swim harder, longer and more often than ever. And with the group, it's way more fun! I was previously doing most of my swimming alone, with only occasional group sessions and training camps.


Firstly thanks for doing this, it’s been really interesting & congratulations on the win.

Could I ask, when/why did you start swimming 6+ times a week?


I've done swim focused weeks or months in the past and a couple swim training camps (with Magnolia Masters in Texas), but it wasn't until I moved back to Guelph last fall that I began consistently swimming 6-7 times most weeks of the year. That was also when I began consistently swimming with a group (mostly Guelph Triathlon Project, sometimes LPC).
Despite being my first competitive sport, swimming has always been my weakest discipline. I've had some shockingly poor swim performances and lost at least half a dozen races in the swim (if that can ever be said). Even last year, my swim performances were unpredictable and I often found myself in the unfortunate position of leading the chase pack (ideally, you're at the back of the fastest pack you can hang with). I knew that something had to be done about my swimming if I truly wanted to be a world class triathlete.
I experimented with various swim changes, everything from stroke analysis (mostly not helpful), technical/drill focus (complete waste of time), USRPT (good, but brutally hard), training camps (helpful, but hard to maintain gains). The two things that I found most helpful were swimming with a group and swimming more frequently. Those two factors go hand in hand, since it's easier to swim more when you're having fun with great lane-mates!
Another factor in my swim progress that I forgot the mention earlier was my switch to mostly two beat kicking. I gradually began introducing two beat kicking as an alternative to my usual and the more common six beat kick. At first, it felt awkward, but gradually became more efficient at slower speeds. The pace break point at which it was more efficient to switch from two beat to six beat gradually sped up. Now I'm at the point where I almost exclusively two beat kick and it's more efficient for anything up to high end threshold (~1:11/100scm). In long course races, a two beat kick feels so cruisy and efficient. I now use a two beat kick almost the entire swim and reserve the less efficient but more powerful six beat kick for the fast start, any surges and briefly at the end to wake up my legs. This kicking change was the closest thing I've had to a technical epiphany in swimming.


Cody - on the bolded portion, I'm curious to get your opinion of stroke analysis for weaker swimmers who are looking to make improvements. I fall into the weaker swimmer category and as I start to age, a little run speed is falling off and am considering trying to pick up the swim speed to compensate in races. Larger swim blocks in the past have typically not helped much and I asssume your comments are directed more at the folks who already swim sub 1:30/100m?

Last part of the question around who you believe are good AG swim coaches in the Halton/Guelph area that can measurably help with improvements.

Congrats on a great race and appreciate the insight into your training and racing.


I definitely need to elaborate on my earlier comments about stroke analysis. Every time I've done it, the same handful of technical flaws have been pointed out, which I'm well aware of. I've never really been giving the tools or instructions to address these flaws, assuming those even exist. So for me, stroke analysis has largely been this circular exercise in frustration. The only way I've made consistent progress is through swimming hard, swimming often and swimming mindfully. Putzing around with underwater cameras, weird drills and lots of "technique-focused" swimming has been a waste of time. My time working with Magnolia Masters ingrained the principle that technique must be developed under load, i.e. when swimming fast!

I do think that stroke analysis has a place for weaker, less experienced swimmers. Of course there was a time when I wasn't even aware of my various technical flaws. Some coach, somewhere along the way must have shown or explained them to me. Earlier, I explained my view that most runners naturally gravitate towards biomechanically efficient form given the appropriate application of volume and intensity. This is true to an extent with swimming, but much less so. Most of us don't have the same intuitive sense of how to move efficiently through water and some elements of modern freestyle technique are downright counterintuitive! So I think some key pointers early along the way can be quite helpful, but stroke analysis isn't the magic bullet it's often made out to be.

I can only personally vouch for Craig Taylor and James Loaring as swim coaches in the area, but I'm sure there are many other good ones.

Cody....wait...you're coming to the same conclusion that all the fish on ST have been telling us:

  • Swim more often
  • Swim harder
  • Swim with a group


Damn, why are those guys so right????

OK, did people brow beat you into going to Kona next year, so we can start the Cody going to Kona thread, or are we going to have to deal with another year of Ashley Horner 50/50/50 fluff?

What's your take on Jan's run today at 70.3 Worlds combined with his 2:39 at Frankfurt and how this changes everyone's tactics this year in Kona (I know you are not going, and this is not about your race, but asking a practicing pro, how this is likely to change what tactics people employ on the bike....noting that you have said the way to beat Lionel is doing your own race).....but if you were to go to Kona I assume you will go when you feel you can make the front pack on the swim and ride with them to Hawi and back which means spiking power and rolling with some on course punches.
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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devashish_paul wrote:
Cody....wait...you're coming to the same conclusion that all the fish on ST have been telling us:
  • Swim more often
  • Swim harder
  • Swim with a group
Damn, why are those guys so right????

I know, right?! I won't pretend to be sharing any new revelations or wisdom about swimming. It's not rocket science, but it took me and many others a long time to reach this simple conclusion. I think that because swimming is a more technical sport, many athletes are forever chasing the idea that there are shortcuts to progress beyond boring, consistent hard work.

devashish_paul wrote:
OK, did people brow beat you into going to Kona next year, so we can start the Cody going to Kona thread, or are we going to have to deal with another year of Ashley Horner 50/50/50 fluff?

Haha, I've taken all the feedback into consideration. I seem to have bounced back very well from IMMT and I'm racing IMChoo on September 30th to cap off my season. If all goes well, I could get an early Kona slot there. But that wasn't high on my list of reasons for choosing that race.

I'm leaning towards structuring next year similar to this year, which is easily my best season. I'd focus on 70.3 racing until June, take a mid-season break, then switch gears and focus on a couple late season IMs.

I've also been toying with the idea of putting my Kona plans to a vote. I would shoot a little video explaining my position, the risks and opportunity cost of Kona, then have my followers vote on whether or not I race. It could generate some fun discussion and publicity. I'd probably only resort to that if I'm still on the fence about Kona next year. I'll be more inclined to race Kona if I crush the first half of the season and don't feel any financial pressure.

devashish_paul wrote:
What's your take on Jan's run today at 70.3 Worlds combined with his 2:39 at Frankfurt and how this changes everyone's tactics this year in Kona (I know you are not going, and this is not about your race, but asking a practicing pro, how this is likely to change what tactics people employ on the bike....noting that you have said the way to beat Lionel is doing your own race).....but if you were to go to Kona I assume you will go when you feel you can make the front pack on the swim and ride with them to Hawi and back which means spiking power and rolling with some on course punches.

I'm just catching up on some 70.3 Worlds coverage now. Obviously a super impressive race at the front. Great athletes always have and always will make strange, unpredictable and impulsive decisions at Kona, often throwing a sensible race plan out the window. Of course you have to take into account the unique dynamics of a championship race when formulating a plan. But I don't think a few standout run performances by one athlete should make the other contenders completely rethink their plans.

In general, I don't closely follow race coverage and what other athletes are up to, with the exception of a few close friends. For example, I was the only one who hadn't woken up and immediately checked 70.3 Worlds results before the group track workout this morning. I basically do the bare minimum of research to know my competition and develop a tactical plan for each race. Frankly, I'm just not much of a sports fan! I've probably watched a combined total of an hour of sports coverage outside triathlon this year, Olympics, TdF and team sports included. Don't get me wrong: I love our sport, my process, the people I've met and the opportunities it's opened up. But there's already more than enough triathlon in my life without obsessing over what other athletes are doing.

CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Cody Beals wrote:
devashish_paul wrote:
Cody....wait...you're coming to the same conclusion that all the fish on ST have been telling us:
  • Swim more often
  • Swim harder
  • Swim with a group
Damn, why are those guys so right????


I know, right?! I won't pretend to be sharing any new revelations or wisdom about swimming. It's not rocket science, but it took me and many others a long time to reach this simple conclusion. I think that because swimming is a more technical sport, many athletes are forever chasing the idea that there are shortcuts to progress beyond boring, consistent hard work.

devashish_paul wrote:
OK, did people brow beat you into going to Kona next year, so we can start the Cody going to Kona thread, or are we going to have to deal with another year of Ashley Horner 50/50/50 fluff?


Haha, I've taken all the feedback into consideration. I seem to have bounced back very well from IMMT and I'm racing IMChoo on September 30th to cap off my season. If all goes well, I could get an early Kona slot there. But that wasn't high on my list of reasons for choosing that race.

I'm leaning towards structuring next year similar to this year, which is easily my best season. I'd focus on 70.3 racing until June, take a mid-season break, then switch gears and focus on a couple late season IMs.

I've also been toying with the idea of putting my Kona plans to a vote. I would shoot a little video explaining my position, the risks and opportunity cost of Kona, then have my followers vote on whether or not I race. It could generate some fun discussion and publicity. I'd probably only resort to that if I'm still on the fence about Kona next year. I'll be more inclined to race Kona if I crush the first half of the season and don't feel any financial pressure.

devashish_paul wrote:
What's your take on Jan's run today at 70.3 Worlds combined with his 2:39 at Frankfurt and how this changes everyone's tactics this year in Kona (I know you are not going, and this is not about your race, but asking a practicing pro, how this is likely to change what tactics people employ on the bike....noting that you have said the way to beat Lionel is doing your own race).....but if you were to go to Kona I assume you will go when you feel you can make the front pack on the swim and ride with them to Hawi and back which means spiking power and rolling with some on course punches.


I'm just catching up on some 70.3 Worlds coverage now. Obviously a super impressive race at the front. Great athletes always have and always will make strange, unpredictable and impulsive decisions at Kona, often throwing a sensible race plan out the window. Of course you have to take into account the unique dynamics of a championship race when formulating a plan. But I don't think a few standout run performances by one athlete should make the other contenders completely rethink their plans.

In general, I don't closely follow race coverage and what other athletes are up to, with the exception of a few close friends. For example, I was the only one who hadn't woken up and immediately checked 70.3 Worlds results before the group track workout this morning. I basically do the bare minimum of research to know my competition and develop a tactical plan for each race. Frankly, I'm just not much of a sports fan! I've probably watched a combined total of an hour of sports coverage outside triathlon this year, Olympics, TdF and team sports included. Don't get me wrong: I love our sport, my process, the people I've met and the opportunities it's opened up. But there's already more than enough triathlon in my life without obsessing over what other athletes are doing.

OK that's more like it (the Chatanooga +potential Kona trajectory). At least if nothing else maybe we can get Ashley Horner demoted to second page so you will have done some community service :-)

In terms of swim more often/swim harder/swim with a group. I have one more question via a comment for you.

In biking you and almost all on ST obsessively focus on shaving every newton of aerodynamic retarding force. We're all into the aerodynamics so with that's I'll lead into the swim:





If there was an ST contest for contorting your body into the shape of a torpedo, Phelps would win it. But getting in this position is not as simple as getting fit in the wind tunnel. The top swimmers have the maleability in the entire body to hold the torpedo shape through their entire stroke. But to do that, the only way is to morph your body swimming more and holding the streamline all the time.

I think our first instinct in a pack swim when we are gapped is to pull harder. But if we were drafting on a bike, we'd try to get as small as possible at the same time. When swimming hard, often in a group you get to practice being a hydrodynamic torpedo and the body shape can litterally change in time with more practice, almost like someone who does yoga all the time and can hold the poses for longer in more duress than a person who shoes up 2x per week.

So since you are the aero king among ST pros, how much is this mindset influencing your swimming.

On the flip side, I think LIonel is just trying to pull harder and use more of his available engine in the water.
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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Cody Beals wrote:

1) Good eye! I switched back to the LG P-09 from the Giro Aerohead because it tested a little faster after some other position changes in my latest round with the STAC Virtual Wind Tunnel. I've been revisiting equipment and position changes every few months with the VWT. It's so much easier than the wind tunnel!

Amazing work in the race Cody.

I found something very innovative in your bike walkthrough on the GTN show. That was your pad reach and explanation behind it. It seems like you have a very reasonable argument there, yet your reach (at least to my eye) seems more extended than pretty much everyone in the pro field. It's almost like you've brought back the 1995 Chris Boardman position.

How much acclimatization did it take you to be able to hold that position for long rides? It seems well-suited to short course racing but you've proven you can hold it over 112 miles as well. Also, did you test any less extended positions in the virtual tunnel against your current position?

-------------------
Madison photographer Timothy Hughes | Instagram
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Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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I totally get the wait-until-I-feel-I-am-“fully”-ready mentality. But, Here’s the number one reason to go for it sooner rather than later. You’re “later” plan assumes there will be a later and that later will be better/faster. Assumes you continue to improve, stay injury free, that other things in life won’t get in the way, etc, Meanwhile, you *might* be giving up your best year/years for the potential promise of a future good result that may never come. But I also think putting it to a vote by strangers is crazy!!! Best of luck in your decision!
Last edited by: DFW_Tri: Sep 2, 18 12:17
Quote Reply
Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Cody Beals wrote:
devashish_paul wrote:
Cody....wait...you're coming to the same conclusion that all the fish on ST have been telling us:
  • Swim more often
  • Swim harder
  • Swim with a group
Damn, why are those guys so right????


I know, right?! I won't pretend to be sharing any new revelations or wisdom about swimming. It's not rocket science, but it took me and many others a long time to reach this simple conclusion. I think that because swimming is a more technical sport, many athletes are forever chasing the idea that there are shortcuts to progress beyond boring, consistent hard work.

devashish_paul wrote:
OK, did people brow beat you into going to Kona next year, so we can start the Cody going to Kona thread, or are we going to have to deal with another year of Ashley Horner 50/50/50 fluff?


Haha, I've taken all the feedback into consideration. I seem to have bounced back very well from IMMT and I'm racing IMChoo on September 30th to cap off my season. If all goes well, I could get an early Kona slot there. But that wasn't high on my list of reasons for choosing that race.

I'm leaning towards structuring next year similar to this year, which is easily my best season. I'd focus on 70.3 racing until June, take a mid-season break, then switch gears and focus on a couple late season IMs.

I've also been toying with the idea of putting my Kona plans to a vote. I would shoot a little video explaining my position, the risks and opportunity cost of Kona, then have my followers vote on whether or not I race. It could generate some fun discussion and publicity. I'd probably only resort to that if I'm still on the fence about Kona next year. I'll be more inclined to race Kona if I crush the first half of the season and don't feel any financial pressure.

devashish_paul wrote:
What's your take on Jan's run today at 70.3 Worlds combined with his 2:39 at Frankfurt and how this changes everyone's tactics this year in Kona (I know you are not going, and this is not about your race, but asking a practicing pro, how this is likely to change what tactics people employ on the bike....noting that you have said the way to beat Lionel is doing your own race).....but if you were to go to Kona I assume you will go when you feel you can make the front pack on the swim and ride with them to Hawi and back which means spiking power and rolling with some on course punches.


I'm just catching up on some 70.3 Worlds coverage now. Obviously a super impressive race at the front. Great athletes always have and always will make strange, unpredictable and impulsive decisions at Kona, often throwing a sensible race plan out the window. Of course you have to take into account the unique dynamics of a championship race when formulating a plan. But I don't think a few standout run performances by one athlete should make the other contenders completely rethink their plans.

In general, I don't closely follow race coverage and what other athletes are up to, with the exception of a few close friends. For example, I was the only one who hadn't woken up and immediately checked 70.3 Worlds results before the group track workout this morning. I basically do the bare minimum of research to know my competition and develop a tactical plan for each race. Frankly, I'm just not much of a sports fan! I've probably watched a combined total of an hour of sports coverage outside triathlon this year, Olympics, TdF and team sports included. Don't get me wrong: I love our sport, my process, the people I've met and the opportunities it's opened up. But there's already more than enough triathlon in my life without obsessing over what other athletes are doing.

For the part in bold, I think guys like you or Rapp know that you cannot change your physiology on race day and magically gain FTP to react to crazy surges. However, I don't think many of the other pros are smart enough nor disciplined enough to not let it get in their heads. This should be very interesting.
Quote Reply
Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Cody Beals wrote:
[
  • My boyfriend, James - We've been together 3.5 years and he's only seen me race once in person. He's highly interested in my career, but has his own interests and isn't just a tri fanboy. He keeps fit, but he's not an elite athlete. James really keeps me grounded and helps keep my life in balance. Since pro triathlon is a career that influences every aspect of your life, it's easy for it to become a 24/7 obsession. For me, that's not ideal or conducive to longevity in the sport. James is my lifeline to the outside world!


  • Thank you for your transparency on this front as well. It took qualifying for Boston and 70.3 worlds, then winning a few local races at my end before thanking/referencing my partner on posts. Not sure why it is as much of a deal these days, but it is nice to see male athletes at the highest levels get over the stigma/fear that comes from acknowledging that our personal lives are a bit different from the norms.

    Are you anticipating any additional publicity as a result of this revelation (in conjunction with 3 - 70.3 wins and an IM win this season) and how do you intend to avoid making it a distraction?
    Last edited by: ohhim: Sep 2, 18 13:50
    Quote Reply
    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [ohhim] [ In reply to ]
    Quote | Reply
    ohhim wrote:
    Cody Beals wrote:
    [
  • My boyfriend, James - We've been together 3.5 years and he's only seen me race once in person. He's highly interested in my career, but has his own interests and isn't just a tri fanboy. He keeps fit, but he's not an elite athlete. James really keeps me grounded and helps keep my life in balance. Since pro triathlon is a career that influences every aspect of your life, it's easy for it to become a 24/7 obsession. For me, that's not ideal or conducive to longevity in the sport. James is my lifeline to the outside world!


  • Thank you for your transparency on this front as well. It took qualifying for Boston and 70.3 worlds, then winning a few local races at my end before thanking/referencing my partner on posts. Not sure why it is as much of a deal these days, but it is nice to see male athletes at the highest levels get over the stigma/fear that comes from acknowledging that our personal lives are a bit different from the norms.

    Are you anticipating any additional publicity as a result of this revelation (in conjunction with 3 - 70.3 wins and an IM win this season) and how do you intend to avoid making it a distraction?


    I'm glad you appreciate it. I've been out in my personal life for several years. I came out to the triathlon world in a TRS interview a couple years ago. Since then, I haven't made any secret about being gay, but it's not front and center in my triathlon career. I feel privileged to live in a time and place where it doesn't have to be a big deal. Despite this climate of acceptance I've benefited from, I've chosen not to play it up as gay athlete. At first, I decided that I'd rather build a reputation and following due to my racing and personality. I've even turned down some overtly gay sponsorship opportunities and interviews.

    That said, I've also come to appreciate that I'm in a position to help other people feel more comfortable and increase acceptance through my visibility as an out athlete. I receive some touching messages of support from other queer athletes and their loved ones every time it comes up. I remained in the closet for far too long, partly because I lacked what I felt were relatable gay role models. Sports are still an intimidating and unwelcoming sphere for many queer people and I'd like to help change that. I increasingly feel a sense of responsibility to do more on that front.

    CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
    ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
    Quote Reply
    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
    Quote | Reply
    Cody Beals wrote:
    ohhim wrote:
    Cody Beals wrote:
    [
  • My boyfriend, James - We've been together 3.5 years and he's only seen me race once in person. He's highly interested in my career, but has his own interests and isn't just a tri fanboy. He keeps fit, but he's not an elite athlete. James really keeps me grounded and helps keep my life in balance. Since pro triathlon is a career that influences every aspect of your life, it's easy for it to become a 24/7 obsession. For me, that's not ideal or conducive to longevity in the sport. James is my lifeline to the outside world!


  • Thank you for your transparency on this front as well. It took qualifying for Boston and 70.3 worlds, then winning a few local races at my end before thanking/referencing my partner on posts. Not sure why it is as much of a deal these days, but it is nice to see male athletes at the highest levels get over the stigma/fear that comes from acknowledging that our personal lives are a bit different from the norms.

    Are you anticipating any additional publicity as a result of this revelation (in conjunction with 3 - 70.3 wins and an IM win this season) and how do you intend to avoid making it a distraction?


    I'm glad you appreciate it. I've been out in my personal life for several years. I came out to the triathlon world in a TRS interview a couple years ago. Since then, I haven't made any secret about being gay, but it's not front and center in my triathlon career. I feel privileged to live in a time and place where it doesn't have to be a big deal. Despite this climate of acceptance I've benefited from, I've chosen not to play it up as gay athlete. At first, I decided that I'd rather build a reputation and following due to my racing and personality. I've even turned down some overtly gay sponsorship opportunities and interviews.

    That said, I've also come to appreciate that I'm in a position to help other people feel more comfortable and increase acceptance through my visibility as an out athlete. I receive some touching messages of support from other queer athletes and their loved ones every time it comes up. I remained in the closet for far too long, partly because I lacked what I felt were relatable gay role models. Sports are still an intimidating and unwelcoming sphere for many queer people and I'd like to help change that. I increasingly feel a sense of responsibility to do more on that front.

    Hey Cody, just delving into the political world here for a moment. Personally I'm not a fan of the label "queer". It's just all people. Some people love people of the opposite sex, some people love people of the same sex....but if we are to have a level field in society, then it's all just people....no normal people no queer people. That's my mindset. We're all equal (something that Obama stressed yesterday...and the thing I love about being an athlete is we may look different, act different, have different languages, religions, professions, and other passions....but hey, we have that common ground about obsessing about splits, results, watts, pace clocks, aero helmets, compression socks, skinsuits, electronic shifting etc which brings us together....and the funniest one is obsessing about latex which is a conversation I was having with the co founder at my company who rides TT's....I was saying, "you're crazy not using latex"....now that would be funny if our HR biz partner walked in at that moment not realizing we're talking TT bikes

    Dev
    Quote Reply
    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [DFW_Tri] [ In reply to ]
    Quote | Reply
    DFW_Tri wrote:
    I totally get the wait-until-I-feel-I-am-“fully”-ready mentality. But, Here’s the number one reason to go for it sooner rather than later. You’re “later” plan assumes there will be a later and that later will be better/faster. Assumes you continue to improve, stay injury free, that other things in life won’t get in the way, etc, Meanwhile, you *might* be giving up your best year/years for the potential promise of a future good result that may never come. But I also think putting it to a vote by strangers is crazy!!! Best of luck in your decision!

    I hear you. But I can't say I'd feel regret or disappointment if I were suddenly forced into retirement without racing Kona. It's just not a passion or burning desire I feel at this point. My coach and I are in agreement that Kona is mostly a waste of time until I feel confident in having a good shot at the top ten. Anything less than that may be a "learning experience", "personal development" and all the other platitudes that athletes console themselves with after a disappointing race. But it's still a failure with respect to advancing my career, earning a living and perhaps even my personal enjoyment of the sport.

    Asking you guys to vote is a little crazy and would admittedly be a publicity stunt. But in a sense, it reflects the fact that the age groupers and spectators are the ones who ultimately drive my bottom line, whether it's by shelling out to Ironman, supporting my sponsors or at least giving me clicks/views. My agent and a few fans are trying to brand me as the "People's Pro" and a stunt like this wouldn't hurt!

    CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
    ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
    Quote Reply
    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
    Quote | Reply
    devashish_paul wrote:
    Cody Beals wrote:
    ohhim wrote:
    Cody Beals wrote:
    [
  • My boyfriend, James - We've been together 3.5 years and he's only seen me race once in person. He's highly interested in my career, but has his own interests and isn't just a tri fanboy. He keeps fit, but he's not an elite athlete. James really keeps me grounded and helps keep my life in balance. Since pro triathlon is a career that influences every aspect of your life, it's easy for it to become a 24/7 obsession. For me, that's not ideal or conducive to longevity in the sport. James is my lifeline to the outside world!


  • Thank you for your transparency on this front as well. It took qualifying for Boston and 70.3 worlds, then winning a few local races at my end before thanking/referencing my partner on posts. Not sure why it is as much of a deal these days, but it is nice to see male athletes at the highest levels get over the stigma/fear that comes from acknowledging that our personal lives are a bit different from the norms.

    Are you anticipating any additional publicity as a result of this revelation (in conjunction with 3 - 70.3 wins and an IM win this season) and how do you intend to avoid making it a distraction?


    I'm glad you appreciate it. I've been out in my personal life for several years. I came out to the triathlon world in a TRS interview a couple years ago. Since then, I haven't made any secret about being gay, but it's not front and center in my triathlon career. I feel privileged to live in a time and place where it doesn't have to be a big deal. Despite this climate of acceptance I've benefited from, I've chosen not to play it up as gay athlete. At first, I decided that I'd rather build a reputation and following due to my racing and personality. I've even turned down some overtly gay sponsorship opportunities and interviews.

    That said, I've also come to appreciate that I'm in a position to help other people feel more comfortable and increase acceptance through my visibility as an out athlete. I receive some touching messages of support from other queer athletes and their loved ones every time it comes up. I remained in the closet for far too long, partly because I lacked what I felt were relatable gay role models. Sports are still an intimidating and unwelcoming sphere for many queer people and I'd like to help change that. I increasingly feel a sense of responsibility to do more on that front.


    Hey Cody, just delving into the political world here for a moment. Personally I'm not a fan of the label "queer". It's just all people. Some people love people of the opposite sex, some people love people of the same sex....but if we are to have a level field in society, then it's all just people....no normal people no queer people. That's my mindset. We're all equal (something that Obama stressed yesterday...and the thing I love about being an athlete is we may look different, act different, have different languages, religions, professions, and other passions....but hey, we have that common ground about obsessing about splits, results, watts, pace clocks, aero helmets, compression socks, skinsuits, electronic shifting etc which brings us together....and the funniest one is obsessing about latex which is a conversation I was having with the co founder at my company who rides TT's....I was saying, "you're crazy not using latex"....now that would be funny if our HR biz partner walked in at that moment not realizing we're talking TT bikes

    Dev

    Dev, I completely agree with you. One of my favourite things about triathlon and endurance sports is that we athletes are far more interested in each others' PR, KQ, TT, 70.3, etc. than orientation, politics or religion.

    I'm not a fan of labels in general, but queer is simply a convenient catchall term for anyone who doesn't fit neatly into a conventional heterosexual box. Of course we're all unique and abnormal in wonderful ways. I just prefer the term "queer" to the ridiculous alphabet soup that is LGBTQQIP2SAA (or whatever the latest iteration is)!

    CodyBeals.com | Instagram | TikTok
    ASICS | Ventum | Martin's | HED | VARLO | Shimano | 4iiii | Keystone Communications
    Quote Reply
    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
    Quote | Reply
    Cody Beals wrote:
    devashish_paul wrote:
    Cody Beals wrote:
    ohhim wrote:
    Cody Beals wrote:
    [
  • My boyfriend, James - We've been together 3.5 years and he's only seen me race once in person. He's highly interested in my career, but has his own interests and isn't just a tri fanboy. He keeps fit, but he's not an elite athlete. James really keeps me grounded and helps keep my life in balance. Since pro triathlon is a career that influences every aspect of your life, it's easy for it to become a 24/7 obsession. For me, that's not ideal or conducive to longevity in the sport. James is my lifeline to the outside world!


  • Thank you for your transparency on this front as well. It took qualifying for Boston and 70.3 worlds, then winning a few local races at my end before thanking/referencing my partner on posts. Not sure why it is as much of a deal these days, but it is nice to see male athletes at the highest levels get over the stigma/fear that comes from acknowledging that our personal lives are a bit different from the norms.

    Are you anticipating any additional publicity as a result of this revelation (in conjunction with 3 - 70.3 wins and an IM win this season) and how do you intend to avoid making it a distraction?


    I'm glad you appreciate it. I've been out in my personal life for several years. I came out to the triathlon world in a TRS interview a couple years ago. Since then, I haven't made any secret about being gay, but it's not front and center in my triathlon career. I feel privileged to live in a time and place where it doesn't have to be a big deal. Despite this climate of acceptance I've benefited from, I've chosen not to play it up as gay athlete. At first, I decided that I'd rather build a reputation and following due to my racing and personality. I've even turned down some overtly gay sponsorship opportunities and interviews.

    That said, I've also come to appreciate that I'm in a position to help other people feel more comfortable and increase acceptance through my visibility as an out athlete. I receive some touching messages of support from other queer athletes and their loved ones every time it comes up. I remained in the closet for far too long, partly because I lacked what I felt were relatable gay role models. Sports are still an intimidating and unwelcoming sphere for many queer people and I'd like to help change that. I increasingly feel a sense of responsibility to do more on that front.


    Hey Cody, just delving into the political world here for a moment. Personally I'm not a fan of the label "queer". It's just all people. Some people love people of the opposite sex, some people love people of the same sex....but if we are to have a level field in society, then it's all just people....no normal people no queer people. That's my mindset. We're all equal (something that Obama stressed yesterday...and the thing I love about being an athlete is we may look different, act different, have different languages, religions, professions, and other passions....but hey, we have that common ground about obsessing about splits, results, watts, pace clocks, aero helmets, compression socks, skinsuits, electronic shifting etc which brings us together....and the funniest one is obsessing about latex which is a conversation I was having with the co founder at my company who rides TT's....I was saying, "you're crazy not using latex"....now that would be funny if our HR biz partner walked in at that moment not realizing we're talking TT bikes

    Dev


    Dev, I completely agree with you. One of my favourite things about triathlon and endurance sports is that we athletes are far more interested in each others' PR, KQ, TT, 70.3, etc. than orientation, politics or religion.

    I'm not a fan of labels in general, but queer is simply a convenient catchall term for anyone who doesn't fit neatly into a conventional heterosexual box. Of course we're all unique and abnormal in wonderful ways. I just prefer the term "queer" to the ridiculous alphabet soup that is LGBTQQIP2SAA (or whatever the latest iteration is)!

    You mean 50 something year old people who parade around in lycra and shaved legs with tattoos? Not sure what box we should put "those people" into LOL!!! But yes, I like sport for the comfort zone it puts us into relative to each other.
    Quote Reply
    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
    Quote | Reply
    devashish_paul wrote:
    OK that's more like it (the Chatanooga +potential Kona trajectory). At least if nothing else maybe we can get Ashley Horner demoted to second page so you will have done some community service :-)

    In terms of swim more often/swim harder/swim with a group. I have one more question via a comment for you.

    In biking you and almost all on ST obsessively focus on shaving every newton of aerodynamic retarding force. We're all into the aerodynamics so with that's I'll lead into the swim:



    If there was an ST contest for contorting your body into the shape of a torpedo, Phelps would win it. But getting in this position is not as simple as getting fit in the wind tunnel. The top swimmers have the maleability in the entire body to hold the torpedo shape through their entire stroke. But to do that, the only way is to morph your body swimming more and holding the streamline all the time.

    I think our first instinct in a pack swim when we are gapped is to pull harder. But if we were drafting on a bike, we'd try to get as small as possible at the same time. When swimming hard, often in a group you get to practice being a hydrodynamic torpedo and the body shape can litterally change in time with more practice, almost like someone who does yoga all the time and can hold the poses for longer in more duress than a person who shoes up 2x per week.

    So since you are the aero king among ST pros, how much is this mindset influencing your swimming.

    On the flip side, I think LIonel is just trying to pull harder and use more of his available engine in the water.

    I wrote out a longer reply but lost it TWICE due to a glitch. Here's an abbreviated version.

    This is some next level stuff right here. I'm surprised by how little attention seems to be payed to drag and hydrodynamics, both with respect to technique and other details. For example, I see quite a few pros who don't bother shaving their arms for non-wetsuit swims.

    I've admittedly been guilty of neglecting this front. I was racing in a worn out old swim skin for years before recently upgrading to a new one. The improvement was quite noticeable and probably accounted for some of my recent swimming progress. I would never dream of running slow tires, for example, so I'm not sure why this oversight seemed acceptable...

    My impression is that swimming is the least mature of the three disciplines. It's the discipline with the greatest discrepancy between elite triathletes and elite single sport athletes. The best tri swimmers have long been impressively quick, but the level of tri swimming in general is clearly on the rise. I've had to make progress just to hold steady relative to the field over the course of my five year career. Most of that progress has been won through sustaining higher swim training load. Those gains will eventually plateau and I'll be more motivated to revisit stroke analysis as a potential means to eke out a little more progress.

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    Re: Ask Me Anything: Debut Win & 8:10 Course Record at IMMT! [Cody Beals] [ In reply to ]
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    That’s makes perfect sense. Good luck!
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