Saturday, December 31, 2011

End of Year Report Card.

Well what I can say the last 6 months has been a blast, lots of up and downs.

One of the main reasons for joining a Tri-Club/Squad was to get the race craft right. I must say the coaches at Tri Alliance are great, I can't say how good they are; Emma, Sarah, Ollie, Darren, Stan, Bernadette and Ryan - Thanks Guys.

To my friends in the squad, you guys rock I enjoy every moment of training with you.

This the best my body has felt in years and I owe thanks to Alana (my PT), Kim and Ben from Recover Sports Med without you guys I think my back would break.

I completed the following events

Run Melbourne (10km)
Sandy Half (10km)
Brooks Duathlon (1st one ever and I was wearing TA colors)
Ride around the Bay
Hanover Connecteast Ride
2 Gatorade Sprint Races (These where really Duathlon's) due to rain
Completed my first Hell Week with Tri Alliance some 550km's completed.

So What's ahead in 2012

Complete the rest of the Gatorade Sprint Races (let's hope we swim)
Run Melbourne (10km)
Sandy Half (10km)
Noosa Mutli Sport Event.

Also on the radar is
Australia Day 1.4KM open water swim in Brighton
Duathlon or two over winter

What I have learnt or got better at?

How to swim better and faster (down to 1m:48s pace per 100m) - Thanks Ryan,
My Open Water Swim is much better I feel claimer and better in the water even in choppy waves
How to get on/off the bike with the shoes left on the bike.
Run at sub 5min per km pace and keep it up over 5km - 10km
Quicker on the bike
Generally feeling strong and more conferdience in all areas.

So as 2011 draws I look back at my blog at all the ups and feel that I don't need to list the downs.

Happy New Year everyone bring on 2012 and I hope all your dreams and wish come true.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Belated Elwood Race Report, New Toys, Thanks goes to, Hell Week and Xmas Ride with Stan-ta.

Sorry first up for the belated Elwood Race Report but here it is. Saturday saw the TA group run a light train session at Elwood plus a little walk through of the Transition area.

The weather was nice, the bay was flat, perfect for swimming. Bad news was the there where storms forecast for the afternoon and overnight, Sarah on of our coaches said no swim tomorrow but we hoped.. During the day the storm that was meant to come really didn't, but right on 12:30am Sunday morning a massive storm came through - woke me up! I grabbed the Iphone onto the BOM website nahhh - swim was off.

After getting up at 5am and reading Facebook, SuperSprint made the call and canceled the swim. Great another Duathlon - ok I don't mind them, but not what I signed up for.

I arrived at Elwood approx 6:30am and head over to the TA tent. Started to arrange things like number marking, changing from my Tri top to T-Shirt and then into transition.

As per normal some of the TA Girls and Guys headed over to watch the Active Feet start and support our team mates. When we got down to the start line I noticed it was super windy from the South West. After the finish of the Active Feet racers I went over to David Hansen who was dressed up as Santa and asked for a Xmas Present. Better weather for the rest of the Tri Session.

David responded with "I've ready asked we see what we can do."

With a heap of time left before we had to race some of us went to support TA Team mates on the their race. At the end we chatted with a few to find out about the course. We were told it was super windy coming back in from St Kilda, but we sort of knew that.

Start time, we all showed up and started off with a 1.4KM run then 20km bike and 5km run. Plan was to no go out hard. That was my plan but no-one else’s. The wave I was in was flying. My first KM was 4.38 pace (very quick), once we got out on the bike with a perfect mount and slipping into the bike shoes things change. I caught a few up and a few passed me. on the first lap on the bike TA team mates where there to support along with a few out on the course as marshalls. At the end of the 2nd lap I much better dismount then previous race. Into Transition change to runners and off we went. It hurt like hell, the plan was to push through the pain the run was not the best but considering the conditions I think I did alright. I took some 8 secs off, my final time 1hr 21m 04s.

Here are some of the pics from the race. Taken by Greg (one of our coaches) and Marathon Photos

Out on the road heading for the turn around

2nd Lap done, transition coming up fast

On the run home, almost there

Ahhh the finish line

New Toys.

I recently purchased a set of Race Wheels from Planet X in the UK. They are the 52mm Carbon Fiber rims and are due early Jan. Once they arrive I will need to put rim tape, tyres, tubes and cassette on. Everything is here except the wheels and in addition I also purchased an Aero drink bottle, so I guess I better put those Tri bars on.




Thanks goes to

Alana Melzer (PT)
Kimberley Marsden (Myotherapy) - Recover Sports Med
Ben Erlich (Physio) - Recover Sports Med

Team at Tri Alliance

Xmas Pressie from me to TA Coaches

Hell Week aka Melbourne Training camp.

Hell Week started many years ago by a few TA team members who were not going away at Xmas and with no planned training sessions they did a Long Ride, Run off the bike or Long Run during the day and a swim every day. Somehow this has turning into a club tradition. This week with me being on holidays on the first day I complete a 70km ride, 3km run off the bike. Day 2 the same but with a swim afterwards being total hot from the ride/run a dip without a wetsuit was called for. Day 3 6km run then a 800m swim. So far I have racked up a total of 200km+. Not bad in 3 days. Today is sort of a rest day being Xmas day but with a planned group Stan-ta ride (see below for more) I'll be back at 6am tomorrow for day 4.



Day 2 Riders


One of the jokes re: Hell Week



Xmas Ride with Stan-ta

Another club tradition a ride from Elwood to Mordy and back Xmas day with one of coaches Stan as Stan-ta. I have never laughed so hard on the bike. Ho Ho Hoing everyone from Elwood to Mordy, we had other runners, riders, cars all waving, etc. Now Stan-ta had a cookie tin taped to his tri bars and around Dendy st Brighton the tin lid came off which cause a few to jump out of the way, then shortly after the heart shaped chocolates started to appear on the road. So what does Stan-ta start doing? Grabs a hand full and start throughing them up in the air. Yes it was wet, yes there was lightning and thunder so what we got wet but all had a great time. Thanks Stan-ta.


Stan-ta and TA Xmas Ride Group


Thanks for reading and check back with the End of Year Report Card.