Quassy Amusement Park is best known for its Wooden Warrior roller coaster. Last weekend, warriors of a different kind came to swim, bike, and run as the REV3 Triathlon Series took over with an Olympic-distance Triathlon, 70.3 Half REV, and opportunities to warm up and train in an Endless Pools Original Series pool.
Located in Middlebury, CT, Quassy offers a tough, hilly course for the main events; in keeping with REV3’s family-friendly ethos, the Saturday afternoon kids’ run took a more level route. Endless Pools continued our support of the series by installing a 14' x 7' Performance Pool, fully equipped for stroke feedback with underwater mirror and cameras. The swift and impressive results swimmers got from the pool surprised even us.
/f/76838/1280x960/0a6a1e15ff/hioenif0rysqppjjwcx3.jpg "a test-swim in the Endless Pools Performance model at the REV3 Triathlon")
During pre-race warm-ups, the athletes fine-tuned their strokes in the Endless Pools’ smooth, adjustable current. Many saw themselves swim for the very first time! After the race, several of the top-finishers used it to warm-down, gently pacing themselves in its warm water to stave off any post-race muscle stiffness.
Through it all, the pool earned consistently positive feedback. One athlete who used the pool on Friday returned on Sunday to tell us that he slashed two minutes from his previous personal best; he attributed the improvement directly to what he learned about his head, arm, and hand positioning in the Endless Pool. A 75-year-old woman, walking on two replaced knees, took a swim to help prep for her first-ever triathlon, potentially as soon as this August!
Five members of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Triathlon Club made extensive use of the pool. Like other first-time users, they were amazed at how easy it is to swim against its smooth current. The Engineers gained valuable feedback on form and technique, and they immediately started planning a fieldtrip to our Aston, PA, headquarters for more comprehensive training. (Hopefully they’ll make it in time to prep for their own fall triathlon, the Iron Nerd.) Of course, they had no shortage of questions about the mechanics of the swim-current technology, which was coincidentally developed by MIT engineer John Murdock, the father of Endless Pools CEO James Murdock.
The Performance Endless Pool utilizes our midlevel current-generator, which is fully adjustable for a variety of swimmers. Top-level triathletes can challenge themselves against a 1:05/100-yard pace in a simulated open-water environment, while novice swimmers and children can dial it down to practice in a safe, comfortable environment.
The REV3 Triathlon Series continues in Colonial Williamsburg, VA, on June 13-15. Besides the Olympic-distance REV and the Half-REV, the weekend includes an after-dark Glow Run (followed by a movie with free popcorn and dancing with a live DJ) and a Family Adventure Race. We hope to see you there!