Hazelwood Winter Tri Race Report

With Noosa some 8 weeks away and only two other Tri’s only some 2 to 3 weeks prior to Noosa this was the only race that I could do as a warm up or brush out the cobwebs before Noosa. Ellie and I liked the idea of a country race so we both signed up for the Hazelwood Winter Tri. Hazelwood is aPower Plant in country Victoria in the town of Morwell about 2 hours out of Melbourne. The Tri is held in and around the cooling pond of the Hazelwood Power Plant; the temperature of the water is around 21c all year around. So the swim is in the Pondage (aka lake) bike around the pond and the run is next / near to the pond.

Hazelwood Power Plant

Ellie and I headed down to Morwell Saturday afternoon and found the pond and checked out the course. The few days including the Saturday were quite windy in Melbourne but the lake seemed not too windy and the pond water felt warm should be great for racing.

We found our Motel unloaded the car and took it easy for the night. Nice pasta meal followed by bit of TV and an early night, Ellie painted here toe nails in team (Tri Alliance) colours.  Sunday morning we left for the course around 7am and we noticed the wind had picked up at the pond it did not seem too bad. We found the transition area put out bikes in and setup our space (we were next to each other) then registered and killed some time. We caught up with few other Tri Alliance people and other Triathlete’s we know. We went and watch the start of the Olympic Distance and cheer on others then it was time to put on our wetsuits and get ready to race.

Ellie's Team Colours

 When I jumped into the water for the first time and swam out to the turning buoy it felt great to be back in open water, last season I felt really comfortable in wetsuit in the open water and I loved the feeling again, I missed this feeling and I love it.

We all sat around near the start line as the race officials came down gave us a little briefing and without too much fanfare horn sounded and off we went. The swim felt ok not great. I came out of the water run across the grass into transition off with the wettie on with the Aero helmet grabbed the bike and out towards the road. The mount line was not well marked and I stuffed up the mount, that was ok this was cobweb clean out race. Up the hill out on the road, the first thing I noticed was it had become super windy. Great Aero bike, Aero Wheels and Aero Helmet. Down long the bottom of the lake and up the hill felt ok nice tail wind or out of the wind but up the top of the hill and around the rest of the lap it was windy. In addition the roads were not closed but the traffic was very light or next to none. On the second lap I felt my bike move sideways in the wind and I did not like the feeling.  I had no choice but to back off the speed or come off. Some guys were running disc wheels and I really don’t how they coped with the wind. I made it back to Transition on with the socks and shoes and off on the run.  As I was leaving transition Ellie came back in from the bike.

Race Briefing

Race Start

Out of the Swim Heading for Transition

The run was not pretty I hurt and felt sore in my left shoulder basically pushing up my body against the wind. The run felt ok going out about 1.5km Ellie caught me in the run and we run together. We turned onto the dirt road and headed up 1.5km hill. I was glad to be at the top and heading down back towards Transition and the finish line.

Both Ellie and I finished together which was nice. 

Ellie and I at the finish

 After getting some water, etc. We used the showers in the park to change and warm up. We put our gear in the car then what the awards and the headed back to Melbourne.

Hazelwood was a nice little race except for the wind and I enjoyed the hit out. The following few days my shoulder was a little sore but thanks to Kim’s major hands she made my back and neck feel less sore.

In other news 12 months of work and study finally paid off with Coaches Emma and Ollie signing off my Level 1 Triathlon Coaching Assessment. I’m now wanting for the paper work to be processed but I’m more or less a certified Triathlon Coach.

Ellie’s First Tri

Today saw Ellie complete her first Triathlon. This has been in the making for some time but during an injury this was hold, last year she tore her plantar fascia. No running and  various treatment. About 2 weeks ago the doc she said she could start running again, but not more than 15mins. However she was able to train in swimming, and riding. She had completed 3 Open Water Swims lots of riding – minimum of 30km  up to 100km. Perfect for Olympic Distance Triathlons, however as the run was the weak part she would need to pick a short event. During one of my races (Elwood) she volunteered the event we she got  a free race entry. We picked St Kilda the last race allow her foot some time off to heal.

The last few weeks was crash course of transition practice, I went out and purchased the bits and made my own transition rack for around $100. 4 session later transitions later she felt ready. My next trick was to enrolled her in the Tri Alliance Race day tips and tricks. During the session our Tri-the-Try coach Bernadette asked who was going to run out of transition with shoes on the bike, Ellie was pointed out and said I know you are! Ahhhh my training paying off.

Transition Practice in the local park

This morning I picked up Ellie and drove her to the event, when we got there we walked over to the Tri-Alliance Taj filling up water bottles on the way through. After dropping he bags off in the TA Taj we went over to transition. I left her to rack her bike and setup her transition area. When she got back to the tent we went through everything in transition to ensure all was ok, it was not she had racked her bike the wrong way. A quick dash back in transition and change of setup ready to race.

Around 6:20 I asked her to start getting her wetsuit on, just as she was her mobile rang, her mum was coming down to see the event and Taxi had dropped her off at the wrong spot. I took the phone from Ellie and get her get the wetsuit on while I gave directions. Once the wetsuit was on time to walk down to the swim start and listen to the race briefing, followed by a quick warm up swim. Ellie’s mum found me and I arrange a spot where she could start to watch the event. As Ellie’s wave was about to start I got Dave to call out good luck to Ellie in her first Tri, the horn sounded and off they went. I found a spot on swim exit to support her, she came out and run to transition. As she worked her way through transition and out on the bike I cross over to the bike course to support. I saw her pass me approx 2.5km in and again at the 9km mark. I then quickly headed down to get pics of her on the run course, followed by a quick dash to the finish.

Swim Start

Ellie coming out of the swim

Heading out to the turn around on the bike

Heading back to transition

Heading out on the run

Final turn before the finish line

Ellie finished in 50m 44s, not bad for her first Tri.

We did a race debrief and Ellie knows mistakes were made, but at the end of the day the brief was to finish and have fun, which she did.

My First Triathlon

A few days ago a friend of mine (Shannon Roberts) placed a tweet up on Twitter . “Competing in a running & triathlon event is both terrifying and exhilarating. And therefore, addictive. #run #triathlon” which I replied with “I remember finishing my first tri. Totally exhausted on the grass and 5 mins later wanting to do it all again right now”, she retweeted the comment.

I spent the day thinking about my life as a Tri-athlete/athlete and how I got here. Story goes back to 2009. The company I work for put on a in-house training program for staff on Time Management the instructor was an American lady a cross between Dolly Parton and Lucy Ball. She was a very funny lady and got us all thinking not only about Time Management in the work place but in my private life’s too. She said you need to set a goal and aim for that set a timeline and stick to it.

My story goes back earlier than that, my back had been playing up for some time. I could not stand up for more than 5 minutes without massive lower back pain. One of the girls I work with put me onto an Osteo and after she started to correct my back she suggest I lose some weight and build my core. With a gym only 50m away from work I joined the gym, got a personal trainer or three, stopped drinking over 2 liters of coke a day and eating crappy fatty food. For the record I didn’t stop day one I changed my habits over the course of 3-6 months. I got fit, I ran, did weights, swam, spin class and I lost some 15+ kg of weight. My back felt better and I saw the changes for the better my only regret is that I didn’t start this process earlier on in life.

After the Time Management training day I started to think about Triathlons. I’d seen a few on tv so what better to do is to go see one up close and personal. Xosize had a race on a Brighton so I went along on race day and watched and took notes on the whole event, I loved the idea of the challenge. So I started to train for a Triathlon, I ran, swam and did more spin class didn’t have a bike yet and had not rode in years. So I got myself a Mountain Bike and started to ride the tracks around home, found out how to change the tyres from mountain bike tyres to road tyres, ok hybrid tyres. Next on my list was a Trisuit and Wetsuit started to swim in the bay, all this would do for the my first Triathlon.

I felt ready so I signed up for my first Tri  the Xoszie race at Sandringham I remember it well. I went down on the Saturday collected my race kit, walked through the transition area made sure I felt ok. Xosize put on a training session at Brighton Baths which I went too for some open water swim training, I remember it was hot as we all could feel the heat in our wetsuits and couldn’t wait to hit the water.

The following day was race day. I race and I ran that 800m run from the beach up the hill to transition, may be Sandringham was not the best race to start doing Tri’s with. I rode, I ran. I completed my first Tri! I remember getting over the line sitting on the grass and my girl friend at the time said “You did! And how did I feel?” I replied “stuffed”, but after 5mins I want to go again, right now! no waiting, no delay I wanted to race again.

I was addicted to this new thing called Triathlons!  After completing my first Tri I got a road bike and completed the last race of the session better than the previous race. The following session I signed up for 5 races Xosize races and then 3 with Active Feet. I had a mixed session mainly my open water swims were not great but still loved the sport getting better and learning new skills all the time.

The last year I started to get serious about my training and joined Tri Alliance, with Tri Alliance I’ve completed a full season of Sprint Tri’s, signed up for Noosa and complete a Level 1 Triathlon Coach course.

Running Event, Road Race or Triathlon are all a race against the clock for the individual it’s exhilarating and addictive sports, like a drug and once you hooked it’s not something you can let go. To anyone who is reading this blog and is not a part of a Tri Club, Run Group or some group fitness find one join in. All I can say is I have meet some really good people who are keen to share your goals and help you reach them

Just want to thank Sharon for tweet  and getting me thinking back over the last few years.

Triathlon Level 1 Coaching, Run Melbourne and Noosa

Last weekend saw me join some 20 others at South Yarra SportCentre at Melbourne High School in South Yarra for Triathlon Level 1 Coaching; we had a 2 day program lead by Ryan Mannix along with 6 guest presenters from Swimming, Run, Bike, Planning and Core.  The group of soon to be Coaches were from all over Victoria some came down from Shepparton and one all the Echuca. I must say the two days were well structured and full of information. I felt Ryan was a good mix of teacher, mentor, athlete and coach. The group seem to really enjoy the class room and practical stuff, nothing more boring that sitting on your ass for two days being told what to do if you can’t practice it. I always say if that if you walk away with one new item from any information, training or seminar you are will to accept new ideas and challengers. Before the course I didn’t think there was anything that I could take away from Triathlon Coaching and apply to Professional work career as an IT Network Manager but I did.

For example saying to little Johnnie, look that was well done but here are some issues/problems that are observed and explain what they are doing wrong and how they could be improved on, then back that up with good effort and well done. Now little Johnnie has been told he has done well, you then tell him where he went wrong but rebuild it back up with the praise he needs to move forward with. So not only do you now have someone who has started out well but may be doing some things wrong but you have given them the tools/comments to go away and improve on and they don’t feel that you are not supportive from their goals or dreams. 

The hard work is ahead now, I need to complete my work book, write a 90 day program and complete a practical assignment with Level 1 or Level 2 coach.  I had already spoken to Sarah one of the coaches at Tri Alliance who will guide me through the final process. The first two parts need to be completed by 1^st October.

Soon to be Coaches

My prep for my first Half Marathon is well on track based on my training runs and the average pace I should meet my second goal of sub 2 hours, with the first being to complete a Half Marathon. The build has been slow well structured with rest days mixed in with cross training. I also believe the run program I did with Tony Benson put on by Tri Alliance was well worth the money. Things I have taken away from Tony’s course I have applied and I have noticed a big difference in my running. I feel I run taller, using less energy and breathing better. I’m sure this is an ongoing teaching to myself these skills as well as parting this information onto others as I become a coach.

 A friend of mine, Ellie has offered to act as my pace setter for the event. She is using Run Melbourne as training event for a Full Marathon she is completing in US later in July. While I don’t need a pacer as I have ye-old Mr Garmin it will be good for someone to keep me honest. Tri Alliance has some 45 of us running in the Half and another 20 odd in the 5km / 10km events, so it will be great to see so many TA people out and about.

Ellie asked me recently how I felt about my first Half, while the training has been somewhat boring and hard it didn’t seem to worry me. Seems a strange comment from someone about to do their first Half Marathon, well the shit got real this week when the information, race bib and timing chip arrived. I did have one of those now it’s real moments.

Run Melbourne 2012 Half Marathon Race Pack

The “A” Race while it seems far away but it’s not, saw another piece of the puzzle arrive this week. My bike box! I got Thule Bike Box, I’m happy with it but it does require a little more foam/protection inside the box. A trip up to Clark Rubber to get some more/thinker foam will fix this up quickly. In the next few weeks I will start back in either spin classes and/or wind trainer session at MSAC. While I am getting my Km’s in on the bike on the road I could do with some more + these session are always hot sweaty sessions which will help me cope with Noosa weather later in the year.

Bike Case

Until next time which will be my Run Melbourne Race Report

What I have been up too?

It’d been a while since I last blogged. So what have I been doing?  Well training hard for my first half marathon it’s now just less than 4 weeks to go until I do my first half marathon at Run Melbourne.

Also being so close to the end of financial year here in Australia work has kept me busy and trying to balance work, training, etc has been hard. In 3 weeks will see me re-focus direction when working commitments back down a little. With Noosa not that far away I need to ramp up my swimming and bike.

Swimming means I need to do at least 2 pool sessions per week, while I love the closeness of Fitness First at Bayside’s Pool it’s just a little small only 20m. By the time you real getting going you’re at the end of the lap and heading back the other way. This means more time and trips up to MSAC.

Bike I need to hit the hills more and build stretch in legs. I hear Noosa has one hell of a hill not bad but enough to make sure that I hit it right. I’ve also made some adjustments to my road bike to make it feel better. So far it seems good; the set matches my TT Bike setup. I also have a set of Tri Bars to put on the road bike which will get done in July.

Running I did test half marathon run and I completed that in 1hr 53mins at 5:40 – 6:00 min per KM, so my first half is looking good. A friend of has also offered to run as my personally pacer 1. To ensure that I finish my first half and 2. complete it in sub 2hrs. In addition I also completed a run program with Tony Benson and I have noticed changes in my running style, speed and strength.

Tri Alliance also completed it’s Time Trials for the new season and I was happy with the results. The ride was a little slower than I would have liked but the weather was wet and I didn’t want to become road kill with a crash. Swim was one of the quickest I have ever done and the run was sub 25mins for 5km.

Personal Training Alana and I have been working on my left glute, seems to be working well. Still need to sort out my QL on the left. Most of my left side seems to bad, my hearing, shoulder, glute, etc. I have been thinking about trying some different types of treatments, from Yoga to Osteo. Stay tuned to that one.

Next weekend see me off at Triathlon Coaching (Level  1). It’s two days of practical as well as class based learning I looking forward to this course. Triathlon’s has given a lot to me over the last few years and I’d like to give something back

Events come up

Confirmed events

Run Melbourne
Sandy Half
Melbourne Marathon
Noosa Tri

Unconfirmed events

Salomon Trial Run
Duathlon
Kinglake Ride

Time  next time which will be my race report from Run Melbourne

Looking back at 2011/2012 Tri Season

Last weekend saw Tri Alliance’s End of Season Party. Awards night so to speak of, was  a great night lots of fun laughs and some serious awards. I was nominated for Best Tri Alliance Team Player , I didn’t win but was rapped to be nominated.

It made me think about the season gone and what I achieved I am wrapped with the season.

-          Joining Tri Alliance one of the best group of people and coaches around. Everyone makes everyone welcome and training/racing fun

-          First full sprint season completed. (7 Races)

-          Completed a Duathlon (mini)

-          First time every I’ve felt total comfortable in the Open Water from Racing and Training.

-          At the start of the season I had just signed up for Noosa so I set a goal of sub 1hr 20min for a sprint. Well it took a few races (no swims for the first 2) but I got there!

-          Purchased my first TT bike I got this cheap ’09 model, worth $2k I got it for $600 (bargain)

-          Upgraded from Garmin from the 310xt to 910xt – 910 is the first true Multi-Sport Watch that does everything.

-          Helping Tri-Alliance community – Helping out with TA Taj setups, packups, support to other team mates.

-          First 1.4km open water swim

Not a bad in my books

So what’s ahead for 2012/2013 ?

-          I’m half way through completing a run technique course with Tony Benson (Runner expert) – This is put on by TA and I’ve noticed a big difference

-          Completed a week of Time Trials with TA (and got 5km below 25mins) – Wrapped with that

-          Level 1 Tri Coaching. Yes I’m going to being a Triathlon Coach.

-          Run Melbourne is my next event and it’s a Half Marathon (my first Half)

-          Complete a Trail Run which I failed to complete

-          Complete a Full Duathlon or two (practice for Noosa)

-          Sandy Half (10km)

-          Melbourne Marathon (10k)

-          Noosa  my first Olympic Tri every (and my first interstate event ever)

-          Geelong Olympic Tri

-          Few Sprint Tri’s

Some Goals and events for Season 2013/2014 (yes) I’m thinking ahead)

-          Pulling Billy Run

-          Gold Coast Half Marathon

Not much more to say other than time to get busy.

-          Tri Alliance is moving to a new location it will be known as http://www.blogger.com/Vuelta%20Cycles:%20Home in St Kilda