Where does the team train?

Vortex Racing is structured more like an elite cycling team, meeting for training camps and racing together, than a swim team, which trains together at the same pool every day.  Because our members typically come from all parts of New England, training together is difficult and school commitments come first.  Team members are encouraged to participate in "training days" led by our affiliated coaches in the late spring and summer.  On these days, we focus on specific skills or test sets, such as quick transitions, bike handling, or USAT junior benchmark testing.

I race XC and Track for my high school team.  Can I still do triathlon?

Certainly.  In fact, most Vortex athletes do this.  For cross country athletes, we recommend ending your triathlon season at least one full week before XC team practices start.  Come mid-October, you'll be glad you gave yourselve a little extra rest.  You can put the bike away during XC season and incorporate a few easy swims per week for recovery.  Use the winter months to rebuild your cycling base (or mix it up with some skiing).  In the early spring, you can back off the bike again for track season.  Once the season is finished, dial back the running for a few weeks while you re-introduce consistent cycling and swim training.  By late-June, most juniors have found their groove and are ready for a competitive July and August season.  Juniors looking to be competitive on the national circuit will likely have to sacrifice a bit more from their spring track season to prepare for the big events.

Do I need to buy special equipment if I join the team?

It depends.  If you are just starting out in the sport of triathlon, you will, of course, need to acquire the basic equipment necessary to complete a triathlon:  swim suit and goggles, a bike, bike helmet, running shoes, etc.  The more serious you get, the more specialized your equipment needs will become...just like any other sport.  Our affiliated coaches can help you choose the right equipment for your age, ability and competition level.  We are good at find loaner equipment too...which can help defray the cost of your first year or two in the sport.

What type of bike do you recommend?

Simple.  Junior athletes should ride "road" bikes, not "tri" bikes.  There are a couple reasons for this.  First, a road bike...which is the type of bike a cyclist would use in a bike race (no aero bars or disc wheels)...handles a lot better and is safer to train on out on the open roads for young, relatively inexperienced riders.  Think of yourself as a 16 and a 1/2 year old rookie driver...chances are Mom and Dad are going to put you behind the wheel of a nice, safe, slightly use "family" car...not a Porsche.  Second, you'll be racing pretty short distances.  You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a super-aero machine designed for saving minutes over an Ironman distance bike course.  Simple cost-benefit analysis says spend the money elsewhere (see tri camps below!).  Finally, most members of the team do a combination of draft-legal and non-drafting racing.  If you plan to race draft-legal, you need to be on a road bike...no tri bikes allowed.  So, a road bike will allow you to use one bike for two styles of racing.    

Do I need to be "fast" to join the team?

Although we are very proud of our athletes' accomplishments on the national and world circuit, we've never turned away an athlete who is committed to reaching their full potential in the sport.  Many of our athletes have surprised even themselves by how much they improved after a season racing with the team.

I know I'm fast.  But how do I know if I measure up against the best in the U.S.?

The best way to find out where you stand is to come out and race.  There is a substantial difference between winning your age group at the local sprint triathlon and making the podium at a Junior Elite Cup.  One way to measure your potential is to complete USAT's junior benchmark tests.  You'll find them on the Junior Performance Plan page of the USAT website.  A USAT certified coach can help you complete these tests.  Vortex Racing tests its top athletes on a regular basis so that they are eligible for performance-based funding during the season.

Does Vortex Racing provide training plans for young athletes?

Yes.  Vortex Racing has partnered with Boston-based coaching company, QT2 Systems, to provide a specially-designed "Mission Plan" for the typical junior racing season...May through August.  The plan offers an age-appropriate, logical transition from your spring school sport and builds to peak at USAT Junior Nationals.  Members of the Vortex Racing High Performance Team receive this plan as part of their membership.  

What other coaching does Vortex Racing provide?

As a member of the team, you will have access to a number of highly experienced coaches.  You can count on these coaches for sound advice as you plan your season, make equipment choices, or fine tune your training program.  Athlete who participate in team training days and camps enjoy more personalized coaching.

If I join, do I get a uniform?

Members of the High Performance Team receive an ITU elite-style racing suit as part of their membership.  Members of the Sport Team have the option to purchase a uniform.  Additional apparel items, such as cycling jerseys and shorts, are offered for purchase at specific times during the year.

What race distances should I train for?

Generally speaking, athletes between the ages of 13 and 19 should focus on sprint distance triathlons.  This means competitions with swims up to 750 meters, bikes in the 12-15 mile ranges, and 5k runs.  Once an athlete has significant experience in the junior ranks and is racing as an 18 year old, it is ok to begin adding in one or two Olympic distance triathlons per season.  Olympic distance is 1500m swim, 40k bike, and a 10k run.  Junior athletes should not race any event longer than Olympic distance.  

But I always train with my mom who does Ironman races...

The age-appropriate race distance for teenagers is sprint distance.  Triathlon as a sport requires great self-discipline and not a little sacrifice.  As a junior athlete, you will not benefit from 100 mile training rides with mom.  It may be difficult to turn back early on a ride or tell your older training buddies that you have an interval session on the run later than day, but they'll respect you more for your commitment than for grinding out a six hour ride that won't yield a better race day performance.  Your focus is, first and foremost, getting as fast as possible, with as great a skill level as possible, by the time you hit 20.  At that point, you can begin to challenge yourself with longer events.      

What does "Junior Elite" mean?

The term "Junior Elite" reflects a specific style of racing...namely, sprint distance, draft-legal.  Internationally, outside of Ironman and 70.3 competition, elite championships use the draft-legal format of triathlon.  In order to prepare U.S. juniors for this type of competition, USA Triathlon has developed the Junior Elite Cup...and Youth Elite Cup...race designation.  One of the primary purposes of Vortex Racing is to prepare teenage athletes for these events.  All international championships for juniors are draft-legal, as is the USAT Junior Elite National Championship.  Once you start racing as an adult, the opportunity to experience this style of competition is extremely limited.  So, try it out now while you have the chance.

Are there triathlon camps for young athletes?

Yes, in addition to many privately run camps, USA Triathlon promotes a series of "Select Camps" and "Skill Development Camps" for teenage athletes.  Vortex Racing encourages all juniors to attend at least one camp during their junior career.  The experience of a one week camp is equivalent to an entire season of racing.  To find the dates and locations of camps, click here.

Does the team travel?

While the majority of our "team" races are in New England, we do travel 2-4 times each year for major national and international events.  The biggest event is the USAT Junior Olympic Festival, which doubles as our national championships.  We also go to all of the USAT Junior Elite Cups.  Sometimes we travel to Canada or Mexico to compete in their Junior Series races.  Over the years, many of our members have qualified to represent the United States at the World Championships too.  Athletes are responsible for their own travel, but the team tries to chip in where and when it can.  In most cases, we have a team affiliated coach at these events to look over final preparations and logistics.