LAVA Pants-Tested and Epic!

Hello Everyone!

I recently received a pair of Lava Pants through XTERRA Wetsuits. I tested them in the pool and they have now become one of the best training tools in my arsenal.
Now I know some people are against the use of LAVA pants when training for this reason or that reason but you think I use them to swim, right? WRONG. I use them to run. Pool Run, in the deep end.

These pants are phenomenal for pool running. With just the right amount of buoyancy to allow you to float but also work hard, I don't think I'll ever go back to the belt! I thought at first that they may restrict my leg movement and make it feel strange but it was super natural and I really forgot I had them on. My chin is kept just about at water level, a tiny bit above because I wasn't struggling to breathe while running but if I want to remain higher in the water thats all on me and my running.

I swear by pool running. For whatever reason when someone asks me what they can do when injured I always say well get in the pool and run. Run long runs, run workouts, run easy days, run two a days. I get looked at like I have 5 heads. But it works. It works extremely well if done right. It works well if you get in the workouts, it does not work as well if you jump in the pool for 20 minutes, short workout, "thats about 3 miles right?" and call it a day. It takes patience, it takes persistence and it takes boredom to a whole new level but I tell you, its worth it when you come back and see the results.

Back in college I was injured in the fall with plantar fasciitis. I finally gave in to the injury at the start of the winter track season because I was in tears most nights and I felt the right time to take off was during the winter months. So after I had the PRP by Doctor Connors and was placed in a boot for a few weeks I jumped in the pool (not with the boot!) From there I did long runs 2+ hours. I did full blown track workouts, I did ladder workouts with time increasing and then decreasing. I did two a days. I would be sweating in the pool. By the time I came out I was exhausted. By the end of outdoor I ran a 17:37, a PR by about 20+ seconds. In a matter of weeks back on the track, because I hadn't lost fitness I was able to jump right back to where I was and beyond. It works, it works well if done right.

So there you have it. LAVA PANTS. The new great tool in the arsenal.

Until next time, train hard, get some Lava Pants,
Caitlin

From Beginner to Pro and all that in between

Growing up I played a lot of sports.  Aside from the organized sports I always enjoyed the mountain bike rides with my dad. "Dad how far did we go?!" "About 10 miles was almost always the answer, sometimes 20. Granted it took forever to go that far where now a days its much faster riding with my dad on our road bikes! Little did I know I was a triathlete in the making. 

I loved running, I started in 5th grade to get to know kids in a new school. I loved it. We would run a 3 mile course almost every day and race each other in practice to touch the jockeys butts(the ones that hold lanterns at the end of some older driveways)on the opposite side of Thompson Park. Probably not the best idea to race every single day but who knew?! 

I began swimming at age 4 at the Red Bank YMCA and eventually Red Bank Catholic High school but gave it up to pursue running full time in college. The summer going into senior year I met my running coach Gerard Pearlberg who helped me get my running to the next. I was MAC champion and All American in Cross Country in 2010. I ran 17.37 on the track my senior year coming back from injury during the winter season. 

 Coach GP as he is known to us runners has always been my go to coach for my running especially when I felt it was falling short of my own expectations. I decided this year to have him coach me full time again and my running has come a long way in the few months we have been back working together. I have great expectations for next year in both running and triathlon. 

Back to the beginning....

My first road bike, a Specialized Allez stayed in the basement for 2 years. I was terrified of riding clipped in outside, afraid I would go down. I road it on the trainer inside on few occasions. The saddle was AWFUL, so uncomfortable. "Is this what riding was like? Its terrible!" 

I finally had the courage to venture outside. A very successful ride. Unclipped my right leg pulling up to the house, leaned to the wrong side and BAM, down in the driveway. Almost made it. 

I did my first duathlon back in 2008?-ish. I loved it! 

My dad had been encouraging me to try a triathlon as he had been doing them for a little while. I got up one morning, went to the race start and bailed. Terrified of the ocean and so sick to my stomach I thought "no way, this isn't for me." Turns out I had a virus....

Finally I gave it a go. I signed up for a Sandy Hookers Triathlon in Pier Village. I had a good race. I decided to sign up for Jersey Girl the first year is debuted and from there I was hooked. I upgraded all my equipment and dove in head first. This was it...

I decided I needed a slightly smaller bike than the Allez so I upgraded while I was at it and went with the Cannondale SuperSix, my favorite matte black bike I call Batman. I now ride a 52 road bike, down from a 54. 

My brother Sean bought an Elite TT bike that wound up being too small for him so he offered it to me. That became my first triathlon bike for my first few seasons and treated me well. It was a great bike but also a little big for me but did the trick for a while. 

I eventually sold the Elite and went with the Scott Plasma size 49. I'm 5'6 and love the aggressiveness you get from riding a small TT bike. Its a great fit! 

After graduation from Delval I spent a week at the OTC. I raced a draft legal race two summers ago? but ultimately decided that I preferred non drafting triathlons. Maybe I'll change my mind in the future but for now I'm going to stick with non drafting and  this year I also plan on racing my first 70.3! I will also be traveling a bit more this year. 

I raced Chicago triathlon this past year and was first place amateur. The goal was to finish top 3 to earn my Elite Card AKA Professional Status as a triathlete. To my surprise I actually finished first. 

I am proud to OFFICIALLY announce that I will be turning professional for the 2015 triathlon season! (I have to renew in December every year)

So there you have it, in short, my story from Beginner to Pro. 

XTERRA Wetsuits Review

I have raced my whole life in XTERRA wetsuits. I received the Vortex as a gift quite a few years ago, I feel it was a little encouragement gift to give triathlons a try. I eventually did try a triathlon in my Vortex and I was hooked. I raced in that suit for years, rinsing it out after each race and storing it in a cool dry place. Its about 7-8 years old at this point and looks brand new! Zero holes, no scratches, nothing.
I then moved up to the top of the line Vendetta having XTERRA as one of my sponsors which is AWESOME. The suit is outrageously comfortable with the right amount material in the right places. The arms are pretty thin making freestyle feel pretty natural while the legs just float along even without kicking if you are more of an upper body swimmer. If you are willing to spend the money for a great quality suit and are willing to take care of it properly after each swim then the Vendetta is the suit for you.
If you don't have as much money to spend on a suit then the Vector Pro middle of the line suit is also an excellent choice. It retails for $600 but with my discount at checkout you can get it for $240 which is a sick deal. I personally have never worn this suit but I know a few who have and they have had nothing but good things to say about it.
Last but not least is my first suit ever, the Vortex. Retailing for $400 you can get it for $149 with my discount code! Their base level wetsuit that you would never know is base level after trying it on. Its super comfortable just like the others with maybe a little less stretch to it. The only time I noticed the less stretch was in transition, I found it much easier to get off than the Vendetta until I got used to it.

Their suits are all designed to have minimal amount of drag. A special coating allows you to slip through the water fast by reducing friction (kind of like a seal :) ) The middle later of the suit adds buoyancy while the inner layer keeps it stretchy. The panels of the suit are created to fit to your body and the seams of the suit are glued and stitched for added strength.
Now some people manage to get holes in their suits. This baffles me to a degree because I man handle my suits while trying to get them on and I have never put a single hole in my suit or broken a seam. So be a little more gentle with your suit. Leave an extra few minutes to get the suit on before a race so you aren't rushing! Pull a little at a time up the legs or arms to get the suit to move to where you need it and be sure to rinse it with fresh water after every race and let dry in a cool place!

The velocity speed suit for those non wetsuit legal swims is a great product. Although I haven't spent much time in mine since all were wetsuit legal this season, the suit cuts down on drag drastically; reducing time in the water and making for a fast swim.

Aside from wetsuits, their triathlon bag is also awesome! A pocket for the wetsuit after a race is perfect so none of your other gear gets wet. Its large enough to hold everything you need!

I am a true believer in the XTERRA products. I think they are a phenomenal brand and fantastic company. Their return policy is great, their exchange policy is great and their support for their athletes is unending as they are willing to invest in athletes to see them succeed; me being one of them.

I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor for this season and I hope to return with them again next year. Thank you XTERRA WETSUITS! Your belief in me as an athlete has helped me achieve my goal of turning professional. Hard work is never over. The bar is set high for next season. I can't wait!

Don't forget to use the code SA-DORGAN for 60% off the Vortex and Vector Pro Suits!
http://www.xterrawetsuits.com/store/index.php/products/triathlon-wetsuits

Caitlin

Chi Town Tri

Arrived in Chicago Friday night around 11:30pm. Gerard was driving up from Georgia for the weekend with a friend who lived in the area and flying back to Georgia on Monday when I flew back to NJ. He was scheduled to arrive around 4am so I headed to bed and set my alarm for his arrival which was timed almost perfectly!
Saturday morning arrived, Gerard and I got up to workout. He went and did his long run as I did my pre race routine. Back to get ready for breakfast and I decided to check on my bike at Fedex so we could go pick it up. I am told its been rerouted to a sorting facility outside of the city and it won't arrive until MONDAY! I thought my race was over before it started.
We called Fedex about 5 times and they kept telling us they would look into it and get back to us.  I had almost given up when my brother Sean decided to take over and somehow, with his magical powers, got Fedex to redeliver the bike to the right location, where it should have been all along.
After the bike was put together and everything was ready for race day we went out to grab some dinner at a Sushi place that Gerard would describe as "The best sushi I have ever had in my life."
Up at out by 430 am Chicago time which was 530 NJ time which is awesome!!! Set up in transition and I went to warm up a bit.
The race began at 6:19 am Chicago time. The swim went pretty well, not as fast as I would have liked but I know I have room for improvement. I was slowed down a bit by the massive piles of lake grass at the surface that I ran into and got tangled up in. I had to stop, push it down and swim over it. This happened twice, the rest of the time I was just getting it wrapped around my arms and goggles. I also almost went head on with another swimmer as we looped back to pass the start line because the buoys going out were not completely straight so if you swam straight, you swam into us, which many did. I made it out ok and ran the 450 yards to the transition area. That is where the swim time stopped so everything was a little long.
Out onto Lake Shore Drive on the bike and cruising with the wind at my back. Once we turned around the wind was in our faces but it wasn't so bad. The next part of the bike was new this year and we raced through the tunnels of Chicago. Although it was a little hard to see, there really wasn't anything on the ground that you had to see because there were no big potholes or anything. With no elements I hit 28mph cruising through the tunnels and then out onto the busway which is a road used just for buses that most people don't even know exist! I thought the bike course this year was much less boring than last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Onto the run I was the 11th female. This included the Pro field and maybe some amateurs, I wasn't sure. I ran down one woman on the way out and was able to catch another on the way back with about a half mile to go. Still having no idea where I was in the race, I came up the small hill for the finish. Thats when the announcer said I was the first female across the line! I didn't get too excited just yet because this year has been the year of getting beat by someone in another heat but it didn't happen this time. I have officially earned my Pro card. I still have a lot of work to do but I know exactly what I need to work on and I will get there and be competitive in the pro field come next season. Thank you to everyone who has supported me, I couldn't have done it without you!
Huge shout out to my sponsors, Xterra Wetsuits and Powerbar. The best products on the market have truly helped me succeed.

I am now done with my season, a little early but I felt it was the right thing to do so I can focus on some weaknesses and take a much needed break so I will come back healthy and fast next year!

Until next season...
Caitlin

NJ STATE TRIATHLON

July 20th 2014. Up and out by 4:45am. Headed to Mercer County Park with my parents, my awesome supporters who wake up at terrible hours to travel with me and help me with all my gear.

I got to the race and went into transition to find a little NJ state flag on my bike spot to represent the state champion. The age group state champions had theirs too! It played a nice role in marking my bike so I didn't have to look as hard for my spot when flying in and out of transition!

The water was 77.5 degrees on race day, making it wetsuit legal. So it apparently dropped 2+ degrees from the day before when they had the sprint triathlon.... Into my wetsuit and into the swim. Was out of the water in 23 minutes and change. Not bad but still want to improve that time. The swim was hot, almost too hot for a wetsuit but I was still ok. Into T1 and out shortly after. Onto the bike my legs felt dead for the first loop so dead that I was getting super mad at myself for being so slow! FINALLY onto the second loop of the bike and my legs felt much better so I hammered away. Averaged just over 22mph on the bike and into T2. Out quickly and onto the run. I felt the best I have in a long long time on the run. I had something left in the tank after the bike and that's a great feeling when you have a 10K to run left to go. I averaged 6:22 miles, over 10 seconds faster per mile than last year but I still have some work to do. I finished 3rd place overall but being the first NJ resident I was still able to claim the title of NJ State Triathlon Champion.

Thanks to XTERRA Wetsuits and PowerBar for helping me power my way to the finish and walk away with the NJ State Triathlon Champion Title.

Next stop: Chicago!

Until then....back to training.

War at the Shore Triathlon

Rewind to Friday July 11th AKA 7-11, free slurpee day....which I unfortunately did not make it to....By anywhoo.

With the help of the Tri Devils I put together a triathlon transition clinic for Friday night at Thompson park. The clinic included PoweBar product tasting as well since one of my sponsors is PowerBar. Their products are awesome and so I decided to share some of my favorite bars with everyone!

During the clinic I taught a bunch of skill sets that are great to have come race day. Even the smallest change to your transition area and setup can make quite a few seconds difference in the end and maybe a place difference among competitors. I was able to teach some basic skills along with more advanced. The goal was to learn the skill and then it must be practiced to become super efficient at it, just like most other things we learn. However some people used a few of the new techniques on race day two days later and their times showed the difference! 

"Thank you for the clinic. I compared my results to my Long Branch race last year (so same set up) and my combined transitions were 30% (or 47 seconds) faster." Sean Casey

Great job Sean! I have to give you the MOST IMPROVED athlete!

Fast forward to Sunday morning....
Up at 5am and out the door shortly after to head to the race and get set up in transition. I found a good spot for my bike next to a landmark so I knew where my bike was when I came out of the water. I ran to warm up after everything was set and then headed down to the start at 6:50ish am. The women started a few minutes after the men. The water was brutally cold for this time of year....last Sunday read 47 degrees....it warmed up a bit into the 60s but it was still cold and my hands were numb while warming up a few minutes before the start.

Off we go after the men (4 or 5 minutes), I dolphin dove in because the water was shallow and it immediately boosted me to the front and into a nice lead. Left around the first buoy and then the second and straight in. First one out of the water by a good margin (which NEVER happens for me, like ever...) into transition and out in 55 seconds, onto the bike and I began passing some of the guys. I wound up averaging 22mph which is great for me so I am very happy with that bike. Into T2 and out in under 30 seconds. Onto the run my legs took a little too long to get themselves together but I was able to run a few guys down and get my legs under me for the second half. I managed to average 6:12 miles but thats still not where I want and need to be. I will get there in time and I now know what I need to focus a little more attention on. 

The Jersey Shore Triathlon

Pre Race Routine: Everyone always talks about what they do the night before a race to prepare....My pre race routine is pretty simple, eat a good dinner: chicken, fish (personal fave) salad, pasta, whatever is on the menu at the Dorgan household and then either a bowl of ice cream or milkshake. I used to do the whole, eat pasta before a race thing but it never did make a difference in my racing so I just eat a healthy meal...and ice cream.... In moderation.  Fact is, I race better when I consume it the night before a race. I know it works for me. Do what works for you...or give ice cream a try!
Now lets get into race morning and the race itself....
Up at 4:30 am to be out the door at 5am. Right on schedule I head to Asbury Park. As I am approaching a light I look to my left to see a guy standing by the crosswalk with a towel around his neck wearing an old school sweatsuit, no big deal. The light turns red, I slow down to a stop...He starts walking towards me. GREAT. Adrenaline pumping he goes towards the back of my car, "ok he's walking around me to get to the other side." NOPE. Next thing I know he's at my window. I make a quick decision and go through the red light....No idea what he wanted at 5:20 am but wasn't about to roll down the window and find out. I calm back down and start mental prep work for the race during the rest of the drive.
I arrived in transition, set my bike up next to a landmark so I knew exactly where it was and warmed up. Down to the beach for the start and the ocean pumping out some medium sized waves that lacked power. Perfect swimming conditions for me having grown up at the beach body surfing. The Olympic distance started first and then the mens sprint wave with us starting 3 minutes later. I swam out, turned at the buoy and body surfed my way back in. I dolphin dove when it became inefficient to swim but still too deep to run. Out of the swim in the lead and into T1. Flawless transition in 51 seconds, wetsuit off and bike gear on, out onto the bike. As I hop on my right shoe came loose from its rubber band and hit the ground popping off into the road. I had to stop, dismount and go get it. Unfortunate but not the end of the world. Back on the bike and into a head wind on the way down and a tailwind on the way back, two loops of that and I hopped off having had a solid ride averaging just about 21mph (20.9 to be exact). Into T2 and out in just over 30 seconds. Out onto the run, I was feeling pretty good. I picked off a bunch of guys who were ahead of me on the bike. As I ran past some geese I got a very serious hiss which I translated as "stay away from my babies," which I happily did. I didn't have the best run but it was a solid effort and I finished in 19:18.
During the run I made up some serious time on the leader... my brother! He put a 5 minute lead on me on the bike, a gap a little too big for me to make up during a 5k but I came within 1 minute 40 seconds by the end. Congrats to Sean for winning his first triathlon ever! I wound up being second overall and 1st female.
A little sibling rivalry...I'm coming for you Sean! All in fun of course.
All in all it was a great day, a great confidence booster and fast transitions which I am very happy with. Ending the day with the fastest swim, T1, T2 and run overall; I am pretty happy with the results but then again never satisfied.
Big shout to XTERRA Wetsuits and PowerBar for the support and products I need to succeed! Wearing their names on my suit is an absolute pleasure!

Out of Hibernation

Well, I guess its time for the blog to come out of hibernation.

As many of you know, I am now being coached by Trista Francis of iTz Multisport. She began coaching me in the fall and I am very happy! I think its safe to say I have been swimming and cycling more this winter on a weekly basis than I did during the season last summer! I am especially excited to get back on the roads with my bike and see what kind of power I can throw down.
New news, Good News:
I have two new sponsors going into this season, Xterra wetsuits and PowerBar Team Elite. I'm super excited to be racing in their gear and chowing down on some great fuel during training and racing.

I am set to compete in my first half ironman in October down in Miami so thats another big one on this years calendar and I am really looking forward to the challenge and anxious to see what I can do at a longer distance.

New news, Meh News:
Last summer I strained my calf muscle pretty bad in July at NJ State triathlon and it wound up hampering my season and cutting it short. Unfortunately it has returned.... but not quite as bad.
I have been working diligently to get myself back to health, going to masseuse once a week for deep tissue work, icing, rolling, pool running, doing PT work etc etc etc.
I expect to have this calf healed up and ready to go in a few weeks when I head to South Beach Miami for my first triathlon of the season. I also hope it is good to go for a half marathon two weeks after but I am not going to push it if I feel its not ready for the distance.

With all of that being said, I am most nervous for the running leg of this triathlon in Miami. Lets hope I am ready!

I expect to see great times this year in triathlon with a whole bunch of PRs and the #1 goal of earning that Pro card. Although Coach T and I haven't been working together long I think I will see vast improvement this season. With that being said I believe it takes more than a few months of working together to fully understand each other and to really see results with a lot of changes made to training and getting accustomed to everything. I think this first season together will be great but I also look forward to seasons to come.

The Fall/Winter training and a race here and there:

My fall and winter seasons have consisted mostly of just training, a lot more strength training and some stressful months with Gerard being deployed.
While Gerard was home on leave from the army after deployment we ran the Polar Bear 5mile race in Asbury Park. He was second male, I was first female. We both ran good times even though the weather was far less than perfect. Temps in the low 40s (if that) with some winds and torrential rain. It was COLD but also a lot of fun.
We raced in singlets I had made to represent the two Rangers from Gerards unit who made the ultimate sacrifice on a mission back in October now known as "Rangers In The Sky"

I also raced at Milrose in a DMR put together by Shore AC. It was a little last minute but we got it together and I met my teammates for the first time at the race!! We all warmed up and raced well as a group just having met. I raced the mile, anchor leg. My time wasn't what I had hoped but I also hadn't been doing much speed work yet. 

I am really looking forward to this season, I have a bunch of races lined up and I am just really excited to race and have some warm weather!!!! 

Train Happy, 

Caitlin 

Powerbar Team Elite

I am excited to announce my new sponsor for 2014-2015 

PowerBar Team Elite! #PBTE

www.powerbar.com

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