The NTC is open! Come on down and train. The morning masters swim group included Lisa Bentley this morning. At noon, Greg Bennett and Laura Bennett (Reback) were in the pool. A group of German triathletes came in this week and will stay for 2 months. (6-8 of them)

Kevin McKinnion, a Canadian coach, will bring down 15-20 athletes next week. Marty Gaal has a camp the week before Florida's Great Escape Triathlon. Shiela T. also has a swim camp the weekend after the race. Go to www.usantc.com for information. Z

We also have about 400-500 atheltes from various colleges coming down during the month of march to train on our track and right now we have a group of 8 prospective Pro Football players getting ready for their March try-outs.

Our sports science lab is very busy with testing, but if you call early we will find a spot in our schedule for you. Z

National Training Center for what...softball? And where do I park my bike when I show up? and why were they trying to remove Lisa Bentleys bike today from the facility? ...maybe cause they have no clue who Lisa Bentley is (except for Tom). To them she is just "one of them"... Maybe we can get a secure bike rack now that she is in town. Cmon!

The masters coach has quit five times since I have been here. Ironman NA has pulled out. USAT has pulled out. Next Step to Gold has pulled out. So the pro's use the pool for swimming in the winter. Cmon! Thank you for staying Tom but the NTC doesn't care about triathletes.

Im thinking more like the summer months (I know how hot it is). Will there be a good group there?

Kevin - chill out, if the facility is so bad, you might want to join the SteelMill Gym and swim in the lake!

The NTC is sponsoring 7 triathlons and 8 roads races this year! We offer prize money at every one of our races and have to lowest entry fee's in the state!

We support the 1/2 Ironman at Disney and the Great Floridian with full medical teams at no cost to the race or athletes.

We support the Downtown Orlando Triathlon with staff and equipment and also provide equipment and product to other events in florida including Tri/Du events, Buttar events, St. Anthony's triathlon, Danskin, Gulf Coast and The Escape from Ft. Desoto.

We might have dropped the name Triathlon, but we are still very involved with the sport. Z

hey Tom,

I looked up the website. So any individual can just go down there and pay an entrance fee to train for the day? This may be an option for my SPRING break trip.

What are the prices for the VO2max and LT testing??

Yes- anyone can come down to train. The testing prices are around $100.00 per test and we have package deals. E-mail Chuck Wolf at cwolf@orhs.org. Z

The first thing I tell people when they ask me about the NTC is that Tom is still there. There is no doubt that we are thankful for that. Tom does a great job with his events and I would support anything with his name on it. With that being said, I do speak the truth though about the NTC.

Bikes are no longer allowed past the front door. Countless number of teams/groups that planned to make the NTC their home have left the area. Maybe that was Ironman's responce (to leave town) when NTC told them to "go swim in a lake and join the Steelmill Gym." I dono but those are the facts as far as I know.

Clermont is still awesome biking and running this time of year and no one can take that away from it (except the developers in years to come). We are also thankful for Mark at the bike shop for backing these races and offering prize money.

Howdy. I live in Orlando which is about 35 minutes from the NTC with minimal traffic so I don't get out that way regularly. The facility is very nice. BodyZen and I are basing our camp from Feb 25-27 out of the NTC and will be using it for swimming, individual instruction, and lectures. Entry into the Great Escape Triathlon is included in our camp fee. 4 spots left! Follow my sig link then click 'camps' if you're interested.

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Marty Gaal, CSCS
One Step Beyond Coaching
Triangle Open Water Swim Series | Old School Aquathon Series
Powerstroke® Freestyle Technique DVD

Marty...You such a good guy! Always so positive. I need to learn from you..."if you dont have something nice to say...dont say anything at all". Bring your bike locks though..

Hope you continue to come into Clermont from O-town. We have our Wednesday night run for our South Lake Running Club every Wednesday night @ 6:15 at SLB...maybe you can pass that on if any of your campers come in early. The club would love to have them come out and join us... Beer and pizza too after.. The club loves to talk triathlon after we run.

No secure bike rack? In truth, it doesn't sound all that accommodating, at least to locals, or maybe you are just sending a message to Kevin. Does Kevin have anything anyone would want to steal?

My dog maybe (who would like to get a piece of Monks pooch!)? Thats bout it!

What time does the morning masters swim start? I'm going down to Clermont with a couple of friends to train next Wed through Monday (feb 16-21).

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“You can't coach desire.” --Dathan Ritzenhein
http://xtreme4.com/ -- an extreme ride for extreme change: go green

6 am to 8 am M,W, F... Emily is great!

Hi there - I am in Clermont at the NTC training right now. As far as I can see, nothing has changed here at the center. I am still able to swim with Emily at the master's group from 6-8 a.m. (and she is brilliant). I am still able to swim at any other time of day. I can use the weight room and I think that they still have computrainers available. Everyone has been excellent! You will find plenty of roads to run on and the Orange Grove 10 mile loop is excellent for running. And the pool temperature is warm enough even on those chillier winter days.

And no one was removing my bike from the center. I'm quite attached to my little Cervelo and wouldn't let anyone handle her improperly!!!

It is not easy to find a great pool, great cycling and good running in a good climate all in one place. You will find it here!

Lisa

You might want to double check that about your bike. The front desk people were asking all around the training center while you were out swimming whose black cervelo that was because it had to be moved. Later that day, I saw you on that same bike out by Pine Island Road and I realized it was your Cervelo in there Wednesday morning.

You might want to let the folks at the front desk know its your bike. If they dont know you by now, you might want to bring Tom. Maybe ask for a secure bike rack too?

Its nice to have you back in town.

Kevin Grogan

What are the rules of that place,--do you have to be a member of USAT to use it? Do you have to pay, or can you just drop by for a day or two?

This Lisa doesn't seem to know what she's talking about....probably Canadian.

Congrats on an amazing year....again.

Christ Kevin--you ask me to get your back on this thread, and now you get me in trouble with Lisa. I am dumping you for Lisa as of right now.

LISA! I've got your back with this whiner Kevin.

Fine. I am gonna back Grumpy then on your swimming dilemma thread...its settled....but not really...I still can't ride my bike to swim...I have to walk. Only your girl Lisa can ride there and park the Cervelo in the swim-run center.

Tom,
Do you think the training center could buy Kevin a lock for his bike? I don't know what his big deal is. The way I see it we have a pool to swim in now regardless if USAT left or not. Who really cares. I am with you if the boy wants to complain then he should swim in the lake with the gators.

Rules are rules. No bikes allowed past the front door. I don't bring mine anymore. Oh well. Its not a triathlon center anymore. No bikes.

By the way, I do swim in the lake away from all the B.S. of the NTC. Like I said Tom is a great guy and we all know that, but you don't have to ask too many local triathletes their opinion to get the jist of what is going at the NTC. Believe me, its not just me. Ask the Ironman North American or one of the USAT employees that use to work here or one of the kids from the Next Step to Gold Team. Where did they all go and why? I guess they were told to basically "go jump in a lake".

If you would stop burning your bridges they might let you bring your bike in.

D'ya mean Emily Smith?

Kickass!!!

Yes- Emily Smith - she leads our masters program at the NTC. She also does our swim stroke testing and can provide private coaching. She is very well respected and a wonderful person. Z

Lisa - Great to have you back! Good luck with your training in Clermont! Z