The DC Dextro Triathlons had 5 Maccabiah team athletes competing 4 weeks before the quadrennial games’ triathlon was to be contested in Israel. It was a great day for members of the USA Maccabiah Triathlon team racing in our Nation’s Capitol (yes, that’s the White House behind Landau’s head !). Mark Stuckelman, a member of the 2009 team, along with 2005 team member Rob Urbach, won an age group award in the Olympic Distance race. Doug Landau, also from the 2005 team, won an award in the sprint distance event. Because the race was contested under DC’s hot and humid conditions, it was an excellent training exercise for Stuckelman, who will likely encounter severe “heat load” in Israel. By preparing for extreme conditions, endurance athletes can carry enough water, electrolytes and calories to prevent dehydration, overheating and “bonking.” Experienced athletes like Stuckelman will experiment with different hydration solutions and gels in order to ascertain the best mix of solid and liquid fuels for long, hot racing. Heat injury and exhaustion can lead to bike crashes, dizziness, fainting and loss of consciousness. That is why it is so important to train for the conditions in which you will be racing and to acclimatize once you arrive at the race venue.