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Getting Sirius Siri Lindley is developing world-class tri talent By Barry Siff
Pictured: Lauren Groves leads the ITU bike pack. (Delly Carr/ITU Media) June 13, 2006 -- Pop music is blaring as eight fit, buffed athletes (six female, two male) hammer through a wind-trainer workout in 2001 ITU world champion Siri Lindley’s basement in Boulder, Colo. They are surrounded by Vince Lombardi-type motivational messages painted on the basement walls. Following a solid collegiate field-hockey background at Brown (with little swimming and biking), Lindley took her greatest assets – her mental tenacity and willingness to work hard – and, ultimately, became the No. 1-ranked ITU triathlete. In 2002, Lindley abruptly retired while on top at the age of 33. Lindley honed her swim-bike-run skills under controversial Aussie coach Brett Sutton, and today her own coaching philosophy can be seen as derivative of her mentor. It is largely based upon one principle: hard work. “The only place where “success” comes before hard “work” is in the dictionary,” is prominently painted on the wall facing the athletes as they crank out a hard set on the trainer. “I learned from Brett that if you are willing to do the work, and believe in it – believe in the process – you can achieve anything in life,” says Lindley. “That is what I took away from my career.” And that is exactly the message Lindley directs at her athletes. “The philosophy of this group is for each athlete to achieve excellence within themselves and be the very best athlete they can be,” she notes with conviction. Just how good is this group? Well, Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae came out on top of a strong field (which included Canada’s Lisa Bentley and Colorado’s Joanna Zeiger) in early May at the St. Croix Ironman 70.3, and she demolished the course record, set by Nina Kraft, by over seven minutes. Just two weeks later, Carfrae bested another talented field at the Ironman 70.3 in Baja. Another of Lindley’s athletes, rising Canadian ITU star Lauren Groves, is spending her first summer in Boulder, as is American Sarah Groff, who Lindley feels could be a solid contender for the U.S. Olympic Team in Beijing in 008. Michelle Dillon, from the United Kingdom and sixth at the 2004 Athens Olympics, has been training with the group and, according to her coach, has taken her performance to another level this year. “Everything you do has to do with doing everything right,” says Lindley. “In the end, it’s the little things that count.” This is why Team Sirius, as Lindley’s athletes are known, trains together every day under Lindley’s watchful eye. Ideally, under Lindley’s program, an athlete will spend three months in Australia (during the northern-hemisphere), seven months in Boulder during the heart of the season, and two months at home: 10 months, every day being guided, tweaked and worked very, very hard. No bones about it. “The idea is to optimize every moment we have together every day,” explains Lindley. You won’t hear about Monday rest days, junk miles or just an easy day with this group. Workouts, rest and intensity are tailor-made day-by-day for each athlete. In addition to the current and aspiring professional triathletes of Team Sirius, Lindley coaches 10 age groupers: 7 local Boulderites and 3 via electronic correspondence. The locals get to train side-by-side with the pros, and, according to their coach, this benefits everyone. “They are so motivated by watching the elites go, while their spirit, enthusiasm and smiles give a lift to the whole group.” “My goal is to have all the best athletes in the world coming out of this group,” says Lindley boldly. As another quote on the basement wall says: “Who dares nothing need hope for nothing.” |
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