You guys rock! October was a fantastic month for athletes, with running, cycling, walking and triathlon events taking place every weekend of the month. We salute all of you who took part, especially the first- time triathletes among you (including Minnesota's own Kirk Hanson, at right) who faced your fears and made it to the finish line with a smile. Congratulations!

Here at Triple Sports we had some excitement of our own, with a surprise visit from pro triathlete Marcel Vifian. Marcel wowed us with his graciousness and was even so kind as to take a few photos and sign a few autographs. Thanks Marcel! And congrats to you on a top-three finish at SOMA last weekend!

Maybe it was SOMA. Perhaps it was the Breast Cancer 3 Day or the Tour de Scottsdale. If your A race has come and gone, odds are you?re ready for a break ? and are gearing up for some well-deserved holiday down time.

A long rest phase of four to five weeks is not a bad idea, and is a great way to transition into your off-season, says author Karen Buxton in her book, The Triathlete?s Guide to Off-Season Training.

But down-time need not equal couch potato. Research has shown that a complete cessation of training can cause a 4 to 14 percent decrease in VO2 max in as little as four weeks, Buxton says in her book. Endurance performance has also been shown to decrease by as much as 25 percent during a two- to four-week period of inactivity.

The key to your off-season transition, Buxton says, is to decrease ? not cease ? your activity. ?This will allow you to maintain your fitness gains, so that you have a solid foundation to build upon going into the remainder of your season,? Buxton said.

What should you be doing now to prepare for your upcoming base phase? Buxton has several suggestions:

Lose the training log and relax. Also be sure to throw in a day or two (or three) of complete rest. Buxton also suggests that you stay off the roads and head to the trails for biking and running. Need more ideas? How about trying something new like yoga or Pilates? Enjoy some family time with a long walk. Head to the lake for a paddle in a kayak or canoe. And finally, sleep in, sleep in, sleep in.

Buxton says some athletes feel ?funky? during this time of reduced training. This is similar to the taper funk, Buxton says, and is normal. Give yourself this well-needed break from the rigors of training and you?ll be physically and mentally ready for another great year of triathlon.

Did you know improper tire pressure is the most common cause of a flat tire? So says Tom Patsey, bike mechanic extraordinaire and host of Triple Sports? debut Bike Maintenance 101 Clinic.

Road bike tires should be no lower than 120 psi for best performance, Tom said at the Oct. 26 clinic. But should you get a flat, Tom has a few tips for a quick change.

First, take the tire off the rim beginning from the point opposite the valve. This is the easiest place to insert tire levers and remove the tire.

But don?t get too far ahead! Tom says there?s no reason to actually remove the tire. Just unleash one side from the rim and remove the errant tube. Check for glass or needles by scraping the inside of the tire with the round edge of your tire lever. If you don?t find the cause of your flat there, run your hand around the outside of your tire, feeling for anything sharp.

Put a little air in your tube before replacing it, beginning at the valve stem. Confused? Be sure to watch for our next Bike Maintenance 101 Clinic for a hands-on demonstration!

Meet Jan Hertzfeld. This 48-year-old Scottsdale resident has been a fan of fitness since childhood, dabbling in tennis, running and now triathlon.

?I was just that type of person who knew at age 10 that I was going to be a P.E. teacher,? Hertzfeld said. ?I just love being active. I love movement. I love sports.?

Hertzfeld made good on her dream, teaching physical education before moving into corporate fitness as health and fitness director for the Internal Revenue Service (where she met her husband, Steve), and now the YMCA.

?I just always equate exercise with quality of life,? said Hertzfeld, who is studying for her master?s degree in public health.

As a college student, Hertzfeld played tennis for the University of Arizona. After years of practicing six to eight hours a day, hitting the courts is the last thing on her mind. These days, it?s all about triathlon.

?I want everyone to do triathlons, especially kids,? she said. ?Why? Because I love it and it?s so much fun. It?s such an accomplishment!?

Hertzfeld turned to triathlon after years of running and pesky overuse injuries. Three years later, she?s competed in some 15 sprint triathlons and five Olympic distance events, including the SOMA Quarterman last weekend.

?Everything I do in my life I want to do better,? Hertzfeld said. ?I?m very competitive. I just love doing events and being active and being around active people.?