Program Philosophy:
The program is an environmentally driven competitive sport atmosphere focused at continued development of Swim, Cycling and Running abilities to meet collegiate competitive and national standards in a draft legal format.
Program Vision:
The MU Triathlon Program will offer the aspiring and motivated student-athlete who is seeking to elevate their competitive focus within the sport of Triathlon, providing elite class coaching while still pursuing a strong academic and work experience.
The Trend and Opportunity:
The current evolution of triathlon has suggested that running and or swimming at the university level be the best next steps for continued national class development. Though this approach has served well for the U.S., the rise of younger generations of triathletes in other countries is making this approach a scarce option of continued participation and sport development.
Marymount has recognized the growth of triathlon and the opportunity it presents to enhance the collegiate sport atmosphere and university demographic. MU has pursued the task of staffing a program with the coaching history to found and produce national caliber athletes in the term of a four-year collegiate time frame.
The triathlon student-athlete will be among the first athletes in the country to enter a fully supported varsity collegiate triathlon program while pursing the education of choice.
The Head Coach: M. Zane Castro
Coach Zane Castro brings over years of coaching experience to Marymount University. Zane is a trained coach and exercise scientist and has been involved in coaching triathletes in all distances with noticeable results in elite junior, elite draft legal, elite duathlon, and elite long course events. He has served as a consultant to foreign programs has observed and witnessed the components of the most influential programs in the world. Grooming his proficiency in all three sporting disciplines.
“I aspire for Marymount University to be a place for the student athlete to pursue triathlon at the next level and to do so with a level of attention to detail regarding the athletes continued development while gaining their prospective education.”
Facilities
Strength Training:
Marymount University has fully equipped strength training area for student-athletes and the program will utilize a Functional Movement Screening System to assure athletes work on adequate strength development, injury prevention and movement imbalances that may restrict progress or limit maximal performance.
Athletic Training Staff and Facilities:
The athletic training facilities are fully staffed with electrical stimulation, ultra-sound, game-ready, paraffin, hot/cold contrast baths and staffed with specialists in manual myo-fascial manipulation, nutrition and corrective therapeutic exercises.
Swimming:
Marymount University offers its own 25 yard, six-lane pool on campus with access to area outdoor 50 meter pools and a variety of bodies of water for open water swimming (river, lake/quarry and surf). The proximity to the coastal region is a benefit for any triathlete, providing a strong basis for skills of reading surf and learning to swim in and through surf conditions. Marymount does have a designated swim program and triathletes will have access to 11 practice options to further their swim skill and ability.
Cycling:
Arlington, Virginia is listed as one of the top 40 best places to ride a bike with a strong cycling community. Arlington’s designated bike lanes and bike and multi-used non-motorized vehicle path system makes cycling an easy endeavor to commuting and getting to training locations. The relatively rolling to hilly geography assures athletes will develop strength and will not be limited in preparatory ability. Access to a local two mile closed to traffic bike course permits perfect area for skills development and speed development. The areas proximity to rural and modest mountain ranges provides for enough variety to assure the athlete have full ability to develop on the bike.
Running:
Marymount is 1.5 miles from a myriad of wooded trails that provide an avenue to the Potomac trail system along the historic Potomac River. Trail access assures there is ample opportunity to get off the roads. The road routes, bike lanes and non-motorized vehicle path system make running a safe easy option to putting in miles. The neighboring national and regional parks provide miles and miles of trail and clay surface routes for a variety of long run options, a relative short distance from the epicenter of campus. The program will take strategic monthly outings to utilize these options. Also, cross country is a varsity sport at MU and will serve as an additional opportunity for those student-athletes wanting to improve their experience and running times during the fall season.