1. Triathlons are EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE
2. You will plan your weekends around your swim, bike and run
3. You will spend your wages on new gear (see item 4), race entries, training camps and pain and suffering instead of going out, food and alcohol
4. Warning, it is extremely addictive, hence the impulse spending on wetsuits, bikes, running shoes, aero bars, aero helmets, speed suits, power meters, GPS heart-rate monitors and many other ‘gotta have items.
5. You will hate swimming more than you like it for the first year
6. A quick release does not need to be fully removed to access the tyre
7. You will learn new words such as A-race, brick and double-knick
8. You will set your alarm starting with the number 4 - all because you want to fit in a session in before work
9. You will eventually get a flat tire... and have to change it all by yourself.
10. You can ride in the freezing cold and survive the headwind of the year - it just makes you stronger and those less than ideal race conditions seem relatively easy!
11. It will take you a full 12 months, but you will finally find swimming meditative
12. No matter how much you don't want to, when your Coachs tells you to take a gel to get you home, you will take a gel to get you home
13. You will be passed and dropped on the bike many times - but it doesn't matter unless you make it matter
14. You will never be the fastest runner, but as soon as you stop competing with others, you can compete with yourself.......and more often than not, you will win!
15. You will suffer set backs.
16. You may experience an injury.
17. You will wear tight clothing.
18. You will not like how this tight clothing fits or looks.
19. Your age will take on a whole new meaning.
20. You will discover a whole new meaning for tan lines.
21. Food will become an extremely important part of your life.
22. You will learn new words such as GU, cadence and brick.
23, You will learn patience.
24. You will be humbled.
25. You will learn the meaning of and love nothing more than a post-training cafe and breakfast or LLD or BLD
26. You will start using acronyms!
27. You will look forward to your swim sessions - Thanks Coach Ryan
28. Some old friends will drift away and your tri-friends will become like family
29. You will find happiness in the simple camaraderie that is a tri-squad
30. You will voluntarily take part in "Hell Week"
31. You will never know many flats you can get in a 2 days during hell week
32. You will find that no matter where you finish in the race someone from the tri-squad is cheering you on. - Thanks guys it helps
33. You will find 9:30pm is a late night
This sport called Triathlon, becomes a part of you. You start to plan your entire year around sprint, international, half-iron or full-iron distance races. Your vacations become racing, and you start to realize that this sport called triathlon could become a life-long adventure.
Many people settle for things in life. They settle for a crappy job, marriage, friends, food, place to live and overall fitness and health.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
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.
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
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
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.
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.
Thanks for reading and check back with the End of Year Report Card.
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.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 1 Report
This saw the first race of the Gatorade / Active Feet Triathlon Series. Yesterday saw our normal Saturday morning session at Elwood moved to St Kilda (home of race 1). The coaches run us through the course, a light bike/run/swim session followed by setup of Tri-Alliance tents and area. Our team tent was right on the finish line which meant heaps of cheering over the line come race day. The session was a little wet, but warm. I felt ready, oh btw: I had stepped up from Active Feet to full Gatorade Series. Around lunchtime I headed back to St Kilda to pickup my Series race kit and bumped into all the TA team mates from the mornings session. Did a quick walk through and headed home for a bit of R&R. I did have to head back to MSAC for a swim session later that day. Coach Ryan said he wouldn’t be pushing us too hard.
During morning session and rest of the day there was light rain. Approx 12 mm over night at 5am this morning (Sunday) Super Sprint call off the swim and replaced it with a run. I arrived at the transition area got myself numbered, dropped into the TA tent to say hi then kept going and put my bike into the transition area and setup my bike, etc. Felt a little strange with leaving the shoes on and not thinking about the wetsuit, etc, then back over to the TA tent drop the bag off and start catching up with team mates. Few of us went off to see the Active Feet start approx 20 odd of TA team mates were in this event and we supported all of them. After the last wave we went and watched the Active Feet Transition and then head back to the TA tent.
With my wave time starting around 8:40am I had a long wait. I kept warm until approx 8:20am then started to warm up, short runs, stretching then at headed down to the start. Few of the TA team mates all kept together and started together with our wave group starts. The run the plan was not to go out hard for run 1 but do approx 80% the run felt good and strong, coaches and teams cheered me on as I came into T1 and dropped the shoes off, on with the helmet grabbed the bike and head out. Mistake time – mounted before the line, only about ½ meter before the line.
As we headed up towards Port Melbourne I slipped into my bike shoes and started to pedal then hit the head wind and felt so slow until we got to the turn around and then speed all the way down to Ormond point then back toward transition hearing the cow bell from TA members past by transition area and then the second lap. The head only really came in along just past transition area, basically lap 2 was just a repeat of lap 1. As I came along by the St Kilda sea baths I started to slip out of the bike shoes and did the professional dismount before the line with some of the coaches supporting us into T2 . Racked the bike, off with the helmet on with the socks and shoes grabbed my visor and run out of transition my legs felt heavy but ok as I head out on the run course Stan on the coaches was hand out water and cheered me on. The run was un-eventful but not fast. Out on the run course lots of TA people all gave thumbs up and taps on the back for support. As I came back up towards St Kilda baths I pushed hard for the finish came back into Transition and up to the finishing line with heaps of TA support! My time 1hr 21m 12s
I walked off the run got some fluids into me and went back to the TA team tent stretched and cool down and cheered more team mates over the line. TA do a really good job of supporting the team, heaps of support on the course and they had a BBQ going so I grabbed some food and chatted with other team mates and coaches.
After grabbed my bike and returning to the team tent we all went and watched the awards, where one of the coaches (Sarah) finished 1st.
How do I rate the race – great got a time to beat now! I did miss the swim and I’m in a great team!
More photos of the event soon.
During morning session and rest of the day there was light rain. Approx 12 mm over night at 5am this morning (Sunday) Super Sprint call off the swim and replaced it with a run. I arrived at the transition area got myself numbered, dropped into the TA tent to say hi then kept going and put my bike into the transition area and setup my bike, etc. Felt a little strange with leaving the shoes on and not thinking about the wetsuit, etc, then back over to the TA tent drop the bag off and start catching up with team mates. Few of us went off to see the Active Feet start approx 20 odd of TA team mates were in this event and we supported all of them. After the last wave we went and watched the Active Feet Transition and then head back to the TA tent.
 |
| Cheering on the Active Feet TA Teams mates |
With my wave time starting around 8:40am I had a long wait. I kept warm until approx 8:20am then started to warm up, short runs, stretching then at headed down to the start. Few of the TA team mates all kept together and started together with our wave group starts. The run the plan was not to go out hard for run 1 but do approx 80% the run felt good and strong, coaches and teams cheered me on as I came into T1 and dropped the shoes off, on with the helmet grabbed the bike and head out. Mistake time – mounted before the line, only about ½ meter before the line.
As we headed up towards Port Melbourne I slipped into my bike shoes and started to pedal then hit the head wind and felt so slow until we got to the turn around and then speed all the way down to Ormond point then back toward transition hearing the cow bell from TA members past by transition area and then the second lap. The head only really came in along just past transition area, basically lap 2 was just a repeat of lap 1. As I came along by the St Kilda sea baths I started to slip out of the bike shoes and did the professional dismount before the line with some of the coaches supporting us into T2 . Racked the bike, off with the helmet on with the socks and shoes grabbed my visor and run out of transition my legs felt heavy but ok as I head out on the run course Stan on the coaches was hand out water and cheered me on. The run was un-eventful but not fast. Out on the run course lots of TA people all gave thumbs up and taps on the back for support. As I came back up towards St Kilda baths I pushed hard for the finish came back into Transition and up to the finishing line with heaps of TA support! My time 1hr 21m 12s
I walked off the run got some fluids into me and went back to the TA team tent stretched and cool down and cheered more team mates over the line. TA do a really good job of supporting the team, heaps of support on the course and they had a BBQ going so I grabbed some food and chatted with other team mates and coaches.
After grabbed my bike and returning to the team tent we all went and watched the awards, where one of the coaches (Sarah) finished 1st.
How do I rate the race – great got a time to beat now! I did miss the swim and I’m in a great team!
More photos of the event soon.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Hanover ConnectEast Ride for Home 2011
Sunday morning saw me complete Hanover ConnectEast Ride for Home. It’s the first time I have done this event and I got say I had fun.
Riding up and down Eastlink with our traffic, the road is more or less flat and smooth. It’s was an early start as the ride started at 7am which meant I had to be up at 4:45am to have breakfast, change, etc then an hour drive to the start line.
At the start line we watched a team time trails take off then it was the Individual’s turn. To Seaford and back including the 2 tunnels 75km of speed.
When the horn sounded off we went in our wave group. The pace was fast with something like of an average of 40km/p down to Seaford. At the turn around we hit some head wind. Nothing major but enough to slow you down. The return trip was slower at 33km/p, the killers where the 2 tunnels. Going in was ok but at the bottom then there was the climb out of the tunnel out the other side then turn around and repeat. The legs where screaming after two climbs back to back. I’m not sure what the elevation was as the GPS did not work too well in the tunnels. I felt strong through the whole trip.
Completed the 75km ride 2h 12m 46s
Complete
Here are some pics from the event.
Riding up and down Eastlink with our traffic, the road is more or less flat and smooth. It’s was an early start as the ride started at 7am which meant I had to be up at 4:45am to have breakfast, change, etc then an hour drive to the start line.
At the start line we watched a team time trails take off then it was the Individual’s turn. To Seaford and back including the 2 tunnels 75km of speed.
When the horn sounded off we went in our wave group. The pace was fast with something like of an average of 40km/p down to Seaford. At the turn around we hit some head wind. Nothing major but enough to slow you down. The return trip was slower at 33km/p, the killers where the 2 tunnels. Going in was ok but at the bottom then there was the climb out of the tunnel out the other side then turn around and repeat. The legs where screaming after two climbs back to back. I’m not sure what the elevation was as the GPS did not work too well in the tunnels. I felt strong through the whole trip.
Completed the 75km ride 2h 12m 46s
Complete
Here are some pics from the event.
 |
| Off we go |
 |
| Out of the tunnels |
 |
| Finish line in sight |
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Noosa bound
During my PT session tonight my thoughts were that my PT, Myotherapist, Physio and Tri Alliance coaches all have work for the next 12 months.
Bring on Noosa 2012.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
What a week of training.
This week saw me complete some 3.2km in the pool, and 17km of running and two good session with the PT & Myotherapist. Then another big weekend of training over. Saturday our group training at Elwood saw us start with a 45min long run followed by a Run Bike Run work then an open water swim then backed up with a long ride on Sunday.
Not trying to ring my own bell, but I kicked butt! The long run felt strong no Plantar issues no calf issues just a quick run with an average of 5.26km/h over 8km. Next we moved from some Run Bike Run (2 run throughs) again it felt great. Next on with the wetsuits quick swim out to the reef pole and back in then some water entry / exit work and then another swim.
This morning saw us back it up with a group ride from Elwood to Port Melbourne then down to Frankston and back a part of the head wind and the bugs it was a perfect ride, the group split up over the distance coming back but was well worth it. On the ride to Frankston I was talking with Emma (one of the coaches) she said I looked strong yesterday and keeping a good pace today.
Next weekend see me at group training on Saturday and Hanover 75km cycle event along Eastlink. Then the following weekend the first Tri race! – I can’t wait.
Everything is coming together at the right time of the year.
Not trying to ring my own bell, but I kicked butt! The long run felt strong no Plantar issues no calf issues just a quick run with an average of 5.26km/h over 8km. Next we moved from some Run Bike Run (2 run throughs) again it felt great. Next on with the wetsuits quick swim out to the reef pole and back in then some water entry / exit work and then another swim.
This morning saw us back it up with a group ride from Elwood to Port Melbourne then down to Frankston and back a part of the head wind and the bugs it was a perfect ride, the group split up over the distance coming back but was well worth it. On the ride to Frankston I was talking with Emma (one of the coaches) she said I looked strong yesterday and keeping a good pace today.
Next weekend see me at group training on Saturday and Hanover 75km cycle event along Eastlink. Then the following weekend the first Tri race! – I can’t wait.
Everything is coming together at the right time of the year.
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