Australian Triathlete Magazine - June/July 2015

new feature: tech talk

ISSUE 22.6

JUNE/JuLY 2015

Tim reed joins AT

unloading his coaching genius every month

GWEN JORGENSEN We introduce you to the world number one

n so r e .

nd rA A AND ical h d ! itc DrQ me can

r f r M e o you y he D n l : o l nl

a DE ode ing as o I r S is s e

IN Ep sw tion An es qu

/// CONTENTS

20

FEATURES

REGULARS

30 Jake “Mr X” Birtwhistle One of the most exciting talents in Australian triathlon talks with Noel McMahon.

06 NEWS Catch up on all your tri news including all your must have new tri products.

48 Sliding Doors Our latest Vox Pop looks at what several of our tri stars would be doing if not triathlon.

18 Top 5 Stef Pouska opens up her world and shares with us her top five prized possessions.

60 QanDrA Dr Mitch Anderson kicks off his first episode answering your most puzzling medical questions.

36 SIRIUS Musings In this months edition Siri talks confidence.

62 Tim Reed Joins AT Pro athlete and coach Reedy kicks off his first Performance installment.

72 Tech Talk A new regular in the magazone that uncovers new gagests, road tests key products and talks the tech talk.

Cover story

Gwen Jorgensen: Born to TRi – You might know the name, but do you know the story? Aimee Johnsen caught up with Jorgensen after her eighth straight WTS win on the Gold Coast to find out where it all began for the world number one.

76 Save, Spend, Splurge On a budget or with cash to burn, we look at your options for winter running jackets.

40 My Tri Story We catch up with some impressive age group athletes from Ironman 70.3 Busselton.

42 Beginners Julie Tedde looks at some Triathlon rules you may not be familiar with.

50 Follow the Swallow Jodie Swallow inspiried by a concert of cricket discusses triathlon broadcasting.

78 XTERRA Asia Pacific XTERRA star Jacqui Slack wraps up all the action from the Asia Pacific Championships in NSW. 90 ITU Whip Around With the WTS season in full swing, we catch up on all the action from Auckland, Gold Coast and Cape Town.

new feature: tech talk

ISSUE 22.6

JUNE/JULY 2015

issue 22.6 June/July 2015

62

60 78

Australian Triathlete

30

Gwen Jorgensen: Born to Tri www.oztri.com.au

Tim reed joins AT

PP341999/00020

Issue 22.6 2015 AUS $8.95 inc GST

www.oztri.com.au

unloading his coaching genius every month

GWEN JORGENSEN We introduce you to the world number one

on ers . nd DrA al A h AN dic ! itc rQ e an M of D ur m e c Dr ne yo ly h E: e o g all s on d SID iso erin s a IN Ep sw ion An uest q

Cover: Gwen Jorgensen Photography: Korupt Vision

Official magazine for: WESTERN AUSTRALIA BUSSELTON

2

| Australian Triathlete

ACHIEVE YOUR RUNNING GOALS WITH MY ASICS My ASICS is an adaptive training app designed for runners of all levels. Developed with research into running performance by the ASICS Institute of Sports Science, My ASICS creates a customised training program for every individual based on age, gender and current running ability.

The program will adapt to your progress as you go - if you are far exceeding your plan milestones, you will be given the option to move to a more challenging plan that better reflects your ability and progress.

More than 2/3 of My ASICS runners worldwide have achieved their running goals.

Find out more and get your plan at my.asics.com

TRAINING PROGRAMS RUNNING LOGBOOK

VV28077

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

ASICSaustralia

IT’S A BIG WORLD. GO RUN IT

/// editor’s note

What’s your calling?

T

A PUBLICITY PRESS PUBLICATION

PUBLISHER Ross Copeland EDITOR Aimee Johnsen deputy EDITOR Verity Russo

hroughout putting this edition together my mind has continually wandered into thinking about destiny. Now I’m not talking about religion or opening up a Pandora’s box of ‘if higher powers do or do not exist’ discussions. And while I personally like to believe nothing in life is set in stone by said higher powers or anyone or anything else, I have been lead down the path of thinking lately that maybe we are born to do certain things. While interviewing Gwen Jorgensen (see our feature on page 20) and although I am not a budding triathlete or future Olympian, I am completely in awe of her. Behind her athletic abilities (and they are amazing) I think she is truly a remarkable woman. I have digressed a little. Knowing her story, her journey to world number one, it seems like she was born to be a triathlete. Despite being a quality swimmer and an even better runner, her true calling came from a sport never even on her radar. If not for the intervention of another superstar Olympian triathlete Barb Linquest, Gwen Jorgensen would be a name we never knew.

Littered throughout Jorgensen’s story and that of another of our athletes featured in this edition – Jake Birtwhistle – it is like a higher power, fate, destiny, whatever you might call it stepped in, and led them down their individual paths to triathlon glory.

Even in my own personal life, the most asked question I’ve received since taking up the post at

AT is ‘have I always dreamed of being an editor or sports writer’. My response has been ‘not in my wildest dreams!’ While I love my job, this was never on the plan - or so I thought. I recently had a massive tidy up at home and found boxes of old schoolwork – it’s funny what years and years ago you decided your older self would want to be reminded of. What I did find was a school project I did in Year 9, and if you can possibly believe it, it was a sports magazine, put together in full by me, the Editor. As a mad Australian Rules Football fan – let’s just say it’s my form of religion - I created a magazine dedicated to my team of choice the Essendon Bombers. I had completely forgotten about it and found myself sitting on my bedroom floor mess all around me reading every page - the features I had written, the ads I had cut out from the ‘real’ Bomber magazine and glued into my pages, the player profiles I compiled and of course my editors note.

So here I was thinking this, my job as Editor, was the result of a random series of events that led me on this path - a profession that came completely out of left field but perhaps this is what I was meant to be doing all along. Maybe this was my calling, maybe not, maybe it is all coincidence that Gwen, Jake and I to be on the paths that we on, but maybe not!

Whatever your destiny, or calling, make sure you enjoy the ride.

ART DIRECTOR Andy Cumming Photo EDITOR Delly Carr Advertising manager Scott Llewelyn Production, Administration & subscriptions Gina Copeland

WEBSITE www.oztri.com.au

Facebook Australian Triathlete Magazine

TWITTER @oztri Search for Australian Triathlete Magazine

AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE Australian Triathlete is published 11 times per season. All material in this issue is copyright © 2015 Publicity Press Pty Ltd. All rights are reserved. No part of the contents of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the Publisher or Editor. Articles represent the views of their authors and are not necessarily those of the Publisher or Editor.

CONTACT US Publicity Press Pty Ltd ABN 31 005 490 068 PO Box 8019, Armadale VIC 3143, Australia Phone: (61) 3 9804 4700 Fax: (61) 3 9804 4711 SUBSCRIPTIONS See the subscription offer in this issue or subscribe online: www.oztri.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Contributions are welcome. Anyone wishing to submit material should first contact Publicity Press on (03) 9804 4700 or email: aimee@publicitypress.com.au No responsibility is accepted for unsolicited contributions.

22.6 SuNb er WIN

4

| Australian Triathlete

Congratulations Paul Brandon Hunters Hill, NSW

You’ve won our subscriber prize of a Vorgee® pack valued at $122

ADVERTISING For all enquiries or a current rate card setting out rates and conditions, call Scott Llewelyn on 03 9804 4700 / EXT 03 9804 4705 / Mobile 0418 568 597 or email: scott@publicitypress.com.au In Australia, AUD$8.95 including GST is the recommended price only.

SIMPLY FASTER P-SERIES Cervélo Triathlon/Time trial bicycles have won more pro races than any other, and they are by far the most popular bicycles at Ironman and time trial events for athletes of all levels. In fact Cervélo has won the Hawaii Ironman bike count for the last 10 years running.

Cervélo Athlete: Caroline Steffen

Photo: Korupt Vision

Cervélo P3. Shimano Ultegra Di2. Mavic Cosmic Elite wheelset.

Rotor 3D30 BBright crankset. 3T Aura Bars. $6200 rrp.

Specifications subject to change without notice. Cervelo and Vroomen-White Design are trademarks owned by Cervelo Cycles Inc. or used under license For more information: cervelo.com

Undercover News and launches NashysPix Competition Winners Congratulations to our two successful winners, Toni Hodge & Jon Lowe. See their winning images below.

Brought to you by

Challenge Gold Coast Cancelled Challenge Family and event organizers The Event Crew recently announced the cancellation of the 2015 Challenge Gold Coast event, set to be held on 30 August 2015. Official statement reads: Following the successful debut of the event last year, the current economic climate has shifted and despite the best efforts of The Event Crew there were some insurmountable challenges that simply could not be resolved ahead of this year’s event.

A Challenge Family event is held to the highest standard across all platforms and at this time it would not be economically and administratively responsible to keep the event on the calendar. The priority has always been to ensure the best athlete experience while employing best business practices which it cannot deliver this year without adequate funding.

Over the coming 12 months we will work hard on rectifying the issues in the hope that the event will be a viable option for 2016. For more information for entered athletes, head over to www.challenge-goldcoast.com.au Photo: © AT

Toni: “A special moment between Dad and I at the 2014 World Championships in Kona, caught by my husband and #1 supporter, Pete. Priceless.

JON: “Horrible weather, some of the worst conditions I have raced in, but how often does one get to be a page3 pin-up :D”

Presentation: Toni collecting her prize from NashysPix owner, Darrell Nash.

6

| Australian Triathlete

IATHLETES. R T L A E R R RMANCE FO le and O F R E P I er comfortab R p T su t, h g li REAL ra to i. Ult ew way to tr to ride, easy in an easy lice is an all-n erodynamics a t The all-new S a Triathletes. re g rs ve logy for Real , it deli o n le b ch a Te st i ly Tr ib l d a incre ge. It’s Re to love packa sy a e , e ic rv se ASIER

IDE E FRESHER, R Y A T S , R E T S GO FA WITH

www.monzaimports.com.au/cycling

Cannondale Australia

@cannondaleau

RA DI2 SLICE ULTEG

Undercover News and launches

Brought to you by

INTRODUCES NEW WOMEN’S PERFORMANCE HELMETS Liv, the cycling brand dedicated to women, has unveiled a range of new performance helmets for female riders. The lineup includes new models for road, triathlon, time trial and trail riding with a host of new technologies and features to help women riders get the most out of their cycling experiences.

Photos: © Supplied

01

Rev Liv road – ROAD All about lightweight comfort and a precise fit for all types of road riders. It’s the top choice of the Liv-Plantur GC riders for mountain stages and long days in the saddle. Features 21 Ventilation ports and weighs just 235grams Attacca aero road

Attacca TT – Time Trialing and Triathlon

02

All about reducing wind drag for triathletes and TT racers without the usual compromises in comfort and fit. Developed and fine-tuned at the Aero Concept Engineering facility in France, it has its own AeroVent cooling system with four distinctive ports in the front and one large rear port to pull cool air across the rider’s head. It has a shortened tail and dimpled design on top to maximize aero

03

Infinita – Trail and Enduro focused

With its trail-specific design and technologies, including massive ventilation and extended rear coverage, the Infinita brings a new level of performance to women off-road riders who tackle a variety of conditions on every ride.

With 18 vents, designed with straight, non-tapered walls, airflow is optimized whether you’re bombing down the trail or grinding up steep climbs. The Infinita also boasts a number of trail-riding features including a camera mount, integrated goggle strap and adjustable visor.

8

| Australian Triathlete

PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETE TIM BERKEL

NEW SCODY...

YOU IN? #scodyaus Made to Order - Engineered To Perform

Designed and Engineered by SCODY Australia

www.scody.com.au

Undercover News and launches

Brought to you by

Photo: © Supplied

+ ENDURA ANNOUNCED AS CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA NUTRITION SPONSOR IN THREE YEAR DEAL

C

hallenge Australia and Endura recently announced a key partnership that will see Endura as the Official Nutrition Partner of the Australian Challenge Family races from 2015 to 2017. The partnership includes fives races across the series held in three states – Challenge Gold Coast, Challenge Forster, Challenge Bateman’s Bay, one of the most beloved half distance races in Australia – Challenge Shepparton and Challenge Melbourne which sold out in 2014.

The sponsorship secures Endura as the exclusive and official electrolyte and energy supplier, providing Rehydration Performance Fuel and Sports Energy Gels on course.

Fuelling endurance athletes is our core focus and ultimately enabling them to get to the finish line faster,” said Jason Stephenson, Endura Sales Manager.

“Endura are delighted to be working with Challenge Australia over the next three years, providing consistency to help all Challenge

Juno Bra

Moving Comfort For a seriously legit high impact sports bra, check out the Moving Comfort Juno Bra. Despite its impressive support (no bounce here ladies!), it doesn’t compromise on aesthetic appeal. The super funky racer back is a winner, the thin foam moulded cups keep you looking fine, and the unique Velcro adjustable shoulder straps let you get a truly perfect fit. With Juno, you’re well and truly buckled in – perfect for those long runs – and to top things off, the bonded material means you don’t have to worry about chafing. Sweeet!

RRP: $99 movingcomfort.com.au & shescience.com.au

10

| Australian Triathlete

competitors Train Harder, Race Faster and Recover Quicker.”

Challenge Family Asia Pacific CEO, Marcus Altmann, said it is important to Challenge Family to align with partners that contribute to the positive performance of our athletes in producing their best.

“We are pleased to welcome Endura to our Challenge Family suite of partners. Challenge Family and Endura will work closely together to ensure the partnership provides our athletes with the best possible nutrition on their training and racing journey,” he said.

Instagram of the month: Sam Appleton

instagram.com/sam_appo

thank you cushy comfy concrete

thank you Glycerin 13 Thank you Super DNA midsole for the ultimate adaptive cushioning. Your ideal Pressure Zones disperse impact for a plush ride while the 3D Fit Print upper gives a sublime, glove-like fit.

Learn more at brooksrunning.com.au thank you running

brooksrunningau

Undercover News and launches

Brought to you by

GIANT INTRODUCES FULL LINEUP OF PERFORMANCE HELMETS Following the success of the new Giant Rev road helmet, introduced earlier this year and developed with some of cycling’s top pro athletes for the most demanding races, Giant is now launching a full lineup of performance helmets covering road, time trial, triathlon and trail riding.

In addition to the Rev, Giant’s new helmet collection includes three other models: the Rivet aero road helmet, the Rivet TT for time trial and triathlon, and the Rail for trail, enduro and all-mountain riding.

01

02

Rivet aero road helmet

Rail

Developed using Computational Fluid Dynamics technology and input from pro racers, the Rivet brings some unique design elements and technologies to the aero road helmet market. The Rivet’s AeroVent ventilation system channels air through the helmet, using “drag-neutral” front vents and a slippery overall profile.

With its trail-specific design and technologies, including massive ventilation and extended rear coverage, Rail brings a new level of performance to off-road riders who face varying terrain and conditions on every ride. With 18 vents, designed with straight, non-tapered walls, airflow is optimized whether you’re bombing down the trail or grinding up steep climbs. The Rail also boasts a number of trail-riding features including a camera mount, integrated goggle strap and adjustable visor.

Rivet TT helmet

Website of the month: Leon Griffin www.leongriffin.com.au/

03

The new Rev helmet is available now through Giant retailers, with the rest of the range coming later this year

12

| Australian Triathlete

Purpose-built for time trials and triathlons, the Rivet TT was developed in partnership with aerodynamics experts at the Aero Concept Engineering facility in France. It features a radius-shaped frontal area and dimples leading from the crown of the helmet toward the rear.

The shortened tail of the Rivet TT was engineered for real-world conditions and has proven to produce minimal drag in a variety of rider positions and wind directions.

Rail With its trail-specific design and technologies, including massive ventilation and extended rear coverage, Rail brings a new level of performance to off-road riders who face varying terrain and conditions on every ride. With 18 vents, designed with straight, non-tapered walls, airflow is optimized whether you’re bombing down the trail or grinding up steep climbs. The Rail also boasts a number of trail-riding features including a camera mount, integrated goggle strap and adjustable visor.

The new Rev helmet is available now through Giant retailers, with the rest of the range coming later this year

Undercover News and launches

Brought to you by

FC Hydration System

T

he new FC Hydration System from Profile Design was designed with one thing in mind: to bring together the most compelling, must-have details into one all-inclusive hydration system. The key highlights of the new between the arms system debut many upgrades over previous models, as well as feature high-level customizability to fit rider preference.

Photo: © Supplied

Streamlined Storage Integrated storage system streamlines nutrition needs into rear airfoil compartment.

Forward Computer Mount Computer mount positions perfectly at the front of the system for optimal viewing.

Convertible Straw Strategically flexible to fit rider preference. A quick turn of the dial positions straw on the right or left side of thebottle. Swap straw with gap cap to place straw in the front or rear of the bottle No-Splash Refill Port A completely re-designed, patentpending refill portshields splash back.

Convenient to refill on-the-gowith one quick move.

The FC Hydration System is now available in two sizes: FC25 (25 oz, 739ml) or FC35 (35oz, 1035ml). Both sizes available inwhite, or all new stealth black. For a full product tour, visit profile-design.com/fcsystem

Tweet of the month: @Mirindacarfrae sent me this when I asked how the session went today, Run: Run: Run: Run: Hi-LARIOUS!!”

– Siri Lindley @Selts

14

| Australian Triathlete

Brooks Running Company Introduces the Lobster LAunch 2 Limited Edition Shoe Celebrates the Spirit of Boston rooks Running Company is introducing an exclusive Boston-themed version of the popular Launch 2. Inspired by one of New England’s most iconic symbols, the Lobster Launch 2 brings to life the hardy spirit emblematic of Bostoniansand the New England lobster.

“The Lobster Launch 2, our first shoe celebrating Boston, joins the ranks of the Freedom Adrenaline GTS and the London Ghost 7 in the Brooks Running Pheidippedies collection, honoring the world’s most iconic marathons,” said Shane Downey, Senior Business Manager. “Through imagery of the New England lobster and product details inspired by the region’s famed fishing industry, the Lobster Launch 2 embodies the toughness and resiliency of the Northeast.”

Boston represents a unique strength and spirit, giving it unparalleled power and legacy.

Saved by an overwhelming outcry from runners, the Launch is equally as strong and has been updated to further enhance the shoe’s fast and energetic experience.

B

ARM PAD REACH

ARM PAD ROTATION

EXTENSION AND PAD WIDTH

www.echelonsports.com.au | info@echelonsports.com.au | (07) 3902 1155

EXTENSION STACK

EXTENSION STACK

Undercover News and launches

Brought to you by

SWITCHLOCK TM TECHNOLOGY

Photo: © Oakley

Switchlock technology allows fast, secure lens changes for any environment.

CUSTOMIZATION Temples adjust to three different lengths for helmet compatibility.

THE NAME

EXTENDED FIELD OF VIEW

The name Jawbreaker™ originates from the gimbal mechanism, pivoting to separate the bottom frame or lower “jaw” from the upper frame while switching out lenses.

Engineered to extend upward field of view with optical precision by 44% (when compared to the average pair sunglasses).

PRIZM TM TECHNOLOGY Available with a new lens technology, Prizm Road, that fine-tunes vision for cyclists emphasizing colors where the eye is most sensitive so riders can spot subtle changes in the texture of road surfaces.

VENTILATION Engineered with integrated surge ports to enhance air flow and reduce fogging.

PROTECTION Armor-inspired frame with impact resistant single shield lens.

CUSTOMIZATION: Temples adjust to three different lengths for helmet compatibility.

INSPIRATION: Jawbreaker is inspired and tested by elite cyclist, Mark Cavendish.

OAKLEY JAWBREAKER™ IS THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE IN SPORT EYEWEAR DESIGN

T

he idea of Jawbreaker was inspired by professional cyclist, Mark Cavendish.

Whether it’s measuring his own wattage output, pinpointing his drag coefficiency in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel, or adjusting his seat position by a fraction of a millimeter, he leaves nothing to chance in his preparation. This obsession led to a unique collaboration with Oakley. His challenge was to design an “armor for speed.” And after more than 100 design iterations, 9,600 hours of lab and field testing, 27 eyewear components and two years in the making, Jawbreaker™ is born.

16

| Australian Triathlete

LAB & FIELD TESTED: Oakley used an eye tracking system to study potential improvements to a rider’s field of vision. This showed the upper periphery of the lens is crucial to give the visual field cyclists need for performance and safety.

Oakley maximized that lens zone for Jawbreaker to give the wearer an unprecedented field of view.

THE NAME: The name Jawbreaker originates from the gimbal mechanism, pivoting to separate the bottom frame or lower “jaw” from the upper frame while switching out lenses.

SWITCHLOCK™ TECHNOLOGY: Switchlock™ technology allows fast, secure lens changes for any environment.

EXTENDED FIELD OF VIEW: Engineered to extend upward field of view with optical precision by 44% (when compared to the average pair sunglasses).

PRIZM TECHNOLOGY: Available with a new lens technology, Prizm™ Road, that fine-tunes vision for cyclists emphasizing colors where the eye is most sensitive so riders can spot subtle changes in the texture of road surfaces.

VENTILATION: Engineered with integrated surge ports to enhance air flow and reduce fogging.

PROTECTION: Armor-inspired frame with impact resistant single shield lens.

THE PERFECT RACE AND RECOVERY FUEL

Endura Optimizer is perfect for the athlete or exerciser who needs an energy-boosting meal prior to or after strenuous exercise. This formula is great for carbohydrate loading, with 60 g of carbohydrate per serve and is combined in an ideal 6:1 ratio with protein, to replenish glycogen stores and conserve muscle mass.

endura.com.au

Available in Banana, Vanilla and Chocolate flavours.

END4992 - 04/15

6:1 carb to protein ratio. Easy to digest. Vitamins and minerals.

Top Five

2

Trek Speed Concept TT I know it’s a cliché that triathletes love their bikes more than anything but it’s true! My Trek Speed Concept ‘green machine’ is my weapon of choice on race day and really is a joy to ride.

I was lucky enough to have Cyclezone Darwin custom build mine. The best part was choosing the colours!

Coffee machine

1

Although I do love the NT lifestyle, it is no culinary capital and a decent coffee can sometimes be hard to come by. My coffee machine is my saviour! But times are changing and a local ‘foodie scene’ seems to be emerging. One example is Blast Coffee roasters who are a great local business and supporters of local multisport events.

5

Mandolin

Stef Puszka

elbourne, Stef Originally from M home. A newbie now calls Darwin in just her second on the pro circuit e to watch. season, Stef is on stefpuszka.com

3

I would describe my diet as ethically conscious vegetarian – I try to eat according to my body’s needs at the time while making environmentally and socially responsible food choices. I love cooking with fresh local ingredients from the great local markets here in Darwin but I’m notoriously clumsy! With my mandolin I can dice, julienne and cut matchsticks to create fresh salads from a few simple ingredients. It’s also great for those hotel room dinners when you’re racing away from home but don’t want to eat like a tourist.

Woven artwork from Mäpuru, Arnhem Land In my other life, I work in Indigenous health research as a project coordinator. A few years back I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work on a project with some of the senior Yolŋu women at Mäpuru in North East Arnhem Land.

My woven mat and baskets from the community are beautiful to look at and remind me of my time there, the realisation that other non-western ways of living in and seeing the world are possible and viable and that so much of our perspective and the way we live our lives is informed by our socialisation into a specific culture. I race in Asia quite a lot and try to bear this in mind and show respect for local knowledge.

18

| Australian Triathlete

4

Fe lt Fit Woma n FW40 Road Bik e

high vis overalls.

If my Trek is my party dress , my Felt is my This entry-level, Desp ite negle ct, it keeps on chugging on! road bike. We’ve secon d hand road bike was my first ever since it’s now my been to a lot of place s together, especially e for very long licens pro a had ’t haven I commuter! Altho ugh begin ning in the it’s a remin der of how far I’ve come since sport with local club event s in 2011.

DON´T JUST DON´T DON´TJUST JUST FINISH, FINISH, FINISH, CRUSH IT! CRUSH CRUSHIT!IT!

NEW ORDU OME Competition always produces your finest efforts. spectacular breakthroughs that provide mental fuel Going beyond yourself in the pursuit of excellence, for a long season. The Ordu OME has been designed the sensation of controlled physical chaos, the to push you past what you thought was possible – satisfaction of knowing that nothing was left in to that magical day when you don’t feel the wind or reserve – these are the reasons you show up to relent to the pain – when you don’t just finish the race. Personal goals are established, reached or race, you crush it.

Competition Competition alwaysSuccess produces always your produces efforts. finest or efforts. spectacularspectacular breakthroughs breakthroughs that providethat mental provide fuelmental fuel exceeded. can come infinest smallyour increments

NEW ORDU NEW ORDU OME OME

Going beyond Going yourself beyond in yourself the pursuit in the of excellence, pursuit of excellence, for a long season. for a long Theseason.

Ordu OME The Ordu has been OMEdesigned has been designed the sensation the sensation of controlled of controlled physical chaos, physicalthechaos, to push the youto past pushwhat you you pastthought what you was thought possible was– possible – satisfactionsatisfaction of knowingof that knowing nothing thatwas nothing left inwas to leftthat in magical to that daymagical when you day don’t whenfeel youthe don’t wind feelorthe wind or reserve – these reserveare– the thesereasons are theyou reasons show you up toshow relent up toto the relent painto– the when pain you– don’t when just you finish don’t the just finish the race. Personal race. goals Personal are goals established, are established, reached orreached race,oryou crush race,it.you crush it. exceeded. Success exceeded. canSuccess come incan small come increments in small increments or or

Gwen Born to Tri

Š Korupt Vision

20

| Australian Triathlete

© Ryan Taylor / Red Bull Content Pool

/// cover story

Gwen Jorgensen is a world champion and continues her reign of dominance over the competition in the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Series.

She is the best short course triathlete in the world and while she may be one of the nicest off course, she is also the most feared on the circuit right now. All statements of fact that the incredibly humble American would be the last one to boast about. Still in her 20s the American star with legs that go for days, has had a phenomenal and fast rise to triathlon greatness.

Aimee Johnsen spoke with Jorgensen after her eighth straight ITU WTS win.

text by Aimee Johnsen | photography by Various

W

henever you read about any athlete being humble or shy you are often drawn to the conclusion that perhaps they lack the drive, or that the killer instinct needed to climb to the top is missing. We, as sports fans are spoiled with countless over confident, arrogant and highly motivated sports people who are constantly splashed over our magazine covers and broadcast into our living rooms on the daily, that when we are presented with the non stereotypical athlete we can often be unsure how to react. Jorgensen breaks the mold of what a world champion athlete is ‘meant’ to be like. She is driven, without doubt knows her ability and potential to succeed, but it feels as though she has come from nowhere to be sitting on top - I guess it’s just that we didn’t hear her coming.

To fully appreciate the athlete and woman Jorgensen is becoming in front of our eyes, you must go back to high school days when she was just a ‘normal’ girl in Wisconsin.

A keen swimmer for as long as she can remember, Jorgensen loved life chasing the black line and dreamed of being elite. “When I was younger, everyone told me to run not swim, but I loved swimming too much to give it up,” Jorgensen recounts. While she was no dead weight in the water, others around her, had bigger plans for the reluctant track star.

When older sister Elizabeth’s track and field coach Eric Lehmann approached her to help convince younger sister Gwen to run, it seemed like an impossible ask for the dedicated swimmer.

A compromise was reached and Jorgensen junior was given special permission to continue her daily swim training and compete at track and field competitions without attending the standard schedule of training sessions.

Still completely unaware or unwilling to acknowledge the potential that was to be found outside the pool, Jorgensen persisted with swimming, despite finding success on the track.

“I had some success at grade school running races without any training and knew I had a

talent in running, but didn’t realise my full potential. In high school I didn’t enjoy running like I did swimming.”

While at the University of Wisconsin, Jorgensen was again persuaded to join the track team and continue running. “When I was at the university, I felt like I had reached my potential in swimming. I was ready for something new and ready for change when my high school coach Eric Lehmann suggested I run for UW-Madison”.

With enormous belief in the unassuming Jorgensen, Lehmann made a call to the university and put forward his recommendation to include Jorgensen on the team. In her third year of university, Jorgensen joined the track and field team, and had immediate success qualifying for the NCAA’s and being crowned an All-American runner.

Also while at the University of Wisconsin, Jorgensen obtained her masters degree in accounting and upon graduation, was offered a full time job with the highly respected Ernst and Young. The company was listed as Bloomberg Australian Triathlete |

21

/// Cover story

© Ryan Taylor / Red Bull Content Pool

Business Week’s “Best Places To Launch a Career” in 2008 and was Forbes Magazine’s “The Best Accounting Firms to Work For” in 2012. Having all but given up on any athletic aspirations, Jorgensen seemed set to live the life working in what is regarded as one of the premier professional services firms in the world. But with just one phone call Jorgensen was put on an entirely new path, one that would inevitably change her life.

Barb Lindquist, a 2004 Olympian, was (at the time) USA Triathlon’s recruitment director and had scouted Jorgensen’s potential talent. With that she approached Jorgensen to pitch a third athletic career pursuit.

“When Barb called me to try triathlon I wasn’t convinced. After swimming and running

22

| Australian Triathlete

at a Division 1 level in college I knew what it took to become a world class athlete and I had already come to the realisation that I wasn’t good enough to be a full-time athlete.

“I also had hesitation because growing up I hated riding my bike and had never ridden a road bike before. I thought the idea of starting an entirely new sport at age 24 was pretty crazy.”

Lindquist undoubtedly saw that something special in Jorgensen that she could not see in herself and believed not only could she be successful, but that Olympic glory was in her future. “Barb told me that on paper I was a better athlete than she was and that she was an Olympian, so I could be one too. I never believed her until it happened” notes

Jorgensen who is now embarking on her second Olympic campaign.

2010 marked the debut year for Jorgensen as a professional triathlete and like a duck to water, she proved to be a natural when it came to swimbikerun. Named the USAT (USA Triathlon) Elite Duathlete of the Year and Rookie of the Year is seems triathlon was perhaps Jorgensen’s athletic calling all along.

“Triathlon changed my life. It’s crazy to think how one little sport became such a big part of the way I love my life. I met Patrick because of triathlon and I travel the world because of triathlon.”

Jorgensen’s rise to attention was as impressive as it was rapid – she would only have to wait until June of the following year to make

Accounting: Jorgensen could have easily found herself behind an Erst & Young desk as a CPA.

THERE IS A SPEED DEALER NEAR YOU NSW

Atelier De Vélo Bike Addiction Cheeky Monkey Multisport Cycle Fitness and Nutrition - CFN Endeavour Cycles Greengrocer Cycles Jet Cycles Le Spit Cyclery Panther Cycles Ted's Bike Shop The Body Mechanic The Odd Spoke Two Wheel Industries Velocipede Wheelhaus

02 9045 1204 02 9938 3511 02 9399 3370 02 4927 0201 02 9525 6673 02 4821 0099 02 9279 4200 02 9968 3920 02 4731 3522 02 4933 6620 02 9955 5842 02 9653 9388 02 4929 4252 02 9683 2885 02 7900 9859

Avanti Plus - The Valley Bicycle Riders - BRM Bikemeister Chain Gang Performance Bikes City Centre Cycles Corry Cycles Cyc'd For Bikes CycleZone Mooloolaba Paradise Road Planet Cycles Semi Racer Bicycles Taylor Cycles Velo Bicycles

07 3852 5444 07 3899 8232 0413 623 169 07 3715 8990 07 4921 1332 07 4944 1157 07 3399 2453 07 5478 1001 07 5531 3144 07 3891 9033 07 3262 9779 07 3878 7874 07 3352 3844

Avanti Plus - Salisbury Bike Society - Brighton Bike Society - Everard Park Giant Cycling World - Adelaide JT Cycles - City Adelaide Standish Cycles The Bike Station

08 8258 8885 08 8358 1500 08 8297 9952 08 8223 5978 08 8359 2755 08 8443 5435 08 8296 6011

Artavilla Emporium Ash Hall Cycles Bike Studio - Beretta's CBD Cycles Cyclelink Bayswater Essendon Cyclery Kaos Custom Bikes Total Rush Turning Point Cycles

03 5872 1726 03 5482 4706 03 5224 1900 03 9639 2299 03 9720 8491 03 9370 5976 03 9563 6355 03 9421 0070 03 9580 5175

Bike Force - Cannington Bike Force - Subiaco Bike Force - Success Canning Bridge Cycles City Cycles - Bunbury Glen Parker Cycles Malaga Cycles Passmore Cycles Ride Advice Total Tri

08 9350 6692 08 9382 1663 08 9499 4900 08 9364 1733 08 9721 6438 08 9386 6408 08 9248 8990 08 9841 2623 08 9321 0466 08 9361 2460

QLD

SA

VIC

WA

her ITU World Championship Series (now ITU WTS) debut in Madrid and although it wasn’t a fairytale start for the American, (as she went on to record a DNF), it wouldn’t take long before she would truly make her mark.

With 2012 Olympic selection on the minds of all, and as is the case every Olympic cycle - national team selected becomes a fierce battle with a greater number of capable athletes than spots available. Jorgensen, in just her second professional season wasn’t considered a front-runner for one of the three available slots for Team USA. That was before the ITU World Championship series race in London on August 6th 2011. A day the triathlon world was formally introduced to the young woman from Wisconsin who would take the world by storm.

Running herself into second place with her now trademark run leg, Jorgensen not only recorded her first ever podium finish but also gained one of the prized automatic qualification slots offered by

www.echelonsports.com.au

Australian Triathlete |

23

Photo: © Yanos M. Schmidt

USAT. In doing so, Jorgensen posted the best finish by an American woman in the history of the ITU World Championship Series.

“When I went to London, I knew it was possible to qualify as every athlete from the USA on the start line line had a chance, but I didn’t even believe I qualified after I crossed the line in 2nd for my first WTS podium.

The race in London offered up an ominous warning to Jorgensen’s fellow competitors on the course that would a year later decide Olympic gold – Jorgensen wasn’t just rookie of the year anymore, she was a champion in the making. For Jorgensen, knowing her childhood Olympic dream was about to be realised took some time to sink in.

“Honestly, it was a very tough thing to comprehend. I grew up wanting to go to the Olympics in swimming, but realised my dream was not going to be reality. I had given up on my dream to make it to the Olympics. I did not believe I was good enough to make it. In London, I was fortunate to have my parents. I enjoyed their time and company.”

Just one week after earning herself a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, Jorgensen followed up from her breakthrough performance in London to take out her first ever ITU World Cup win in Tiszaújváros, Hungary.

Completely outclassing the competition, Jorgensen produced the fastest run split of the day with a 33:49, an impressive 42 seconds faster than any other woman in the field. She proved London was no fluke and showed off a

24

| Australian Triathlete

run leg that would go on to crush many an athlete in the years to follow.

While the London Olympics may not have been a dream result – a flat tyre during the bike segment destroyed any chance of a top result – it did however ignite the fire for Rio 2016.

Hindsight is an amazing thing in life, especially in the sporting arena, and for Jorgensen speaking now, just a year out from the next games, she can reflect on the positive that was her London experience.

“I think the London Olympics were the best thing that could have happened for my triathlon career. I had an amazing experience, despite my race not going to plan. When I crossed the finish line at the London Olympics I had one thing on my mind – Rio 2016. It was a turning point in my career.”

This drive to be the best and work towards Rio culminated in a new coaching direction for Jorgensen – who joined the renowned Wollongong Wizards headed up by Jamie Turner not long after London. “Jamie is the best triathlon coach in the world. After the London 2012 Olympics, I looked at what the best athletes

in the world were doing to become successful and most were in a daily training environment (DTE). I started looking at different DTE’s and Jamie created the best atmosphere. He is able to create an environment where his athletes are competitors, yet they are all happy and excited for each other’s success.”

For Jorgensen this has been the ultimate career changing decision and under Turner has thrived. “It’s the first time in my life I’ve been in such a positive training environment where everyone is able to flourish.”

And as for the teammates – her fellow Gong Wizards - Jorgensen cannot speak more highly of the training partners and friends who help her to be the athlete she is today.

“I probably spend more time with the Wizards than anyone else (besides Patrick). They are not only responsible for my success, but are also my friends. When we train in Vitoria [Spain], we all live next door to each other in Jardines de Aristi serviced apartments. It’s the perfect situation where we have our own room, but are able to walk next door or peek over our fence on the patio to hang out with friends.”

Barb told me on paper I was a better athlete than she was and she was an Olympian, so I could be one too. I never believed her until it happened. — Gwen Jorgensen

/// cover story Under a new coach and training environment and with the love of her life Patrick by her side, Jorgensen claimed three ITU WTS titles in 2013 and took out the coverted USA Triathlon Sprint and Olympic distance national titles as well as being named the Triathlete of the Year. All of this was just the lead up to a period of complete domination yet to come.

When Jorgensen hit the start pontoon at ITU WTS Yokohama in May of 2014, even she would have likely found it hard to believe that nearly a full 12 months later she would remain undefeated. And in that time she would be crowned the ITU World Champion (2014) and become the record holder of the longest winning streak ever in the history of ITU WTS. “It doesn’t seem real that I’m a World Champion. I still feel like it’s some made up thing that someone just gave me, but when I look at the trophy or hear someone talk about being World Champion I think of all the investments others have put into me to help to get me to where I am today in the sport of triathlon.”

With a win at ITU WTS Gold Coast in April of this year, Jorgensen made it eight on the trot and seemed to do it with ease nailing all three disciplines. The flaw – if we can even call it that – is that Jorgensen often finds herself down the field after the swim and then rides in the chase pack. Thankfully for an amazing run leg this

Getting stronger: Previously considered her weaker discipline, Jorgensen has excelled on the bike in 2015.

01321BBO

schwalbe.com

BECOME ONE WITH SPEED JENS VOIGT

SCHWALBE ONE. New compound.

New construction. New puncture protection.

For every wheel system: Folding, tubular and tubeless. The fastest and, at the same time, most reliable competition tyre we have ever made.

The fastest and, at the same time, most reliable competition tyre we have ever made.

For every wheel system: Folding, tubular and tubeless. BECOME ONE WITH SPEED.

info@bikebox.com.au

Australian Triathlete |

25

© Ryan Taylor / Red Bull Content Pool

© Ryan Taylor / Red Bull Content Pool

doesn’t usually stop her from being in podium contention, but on the Gold Coast we saw Jorgensen hit transition with the lead swimmers and ride in the front pack. Despite serving a 15-second time penalty on the run (her first ever penalty) no one came close to challenging.

And while Jorgensen may be on the minds of all her competitors, Jorgensen tries to remain focused on her race alone.

“Every race I go to, my sole focus is on the process of executing my best swim, bike, and run. I don’t think you ever have a perfect race,

but I’ve had a few that I’ve been proud of where I execute on the swim, bike, and run.”

Looking forward to next year’s Rio Olympic Games, Jorgensen is well on track, but also understands there is a process and qualification is the first step. “The closer Rio gets, the more I think about how I must qualify before I can think too much about it! Ever since London this has been my aim [to win gold], however I realise I first need to qualify.”

And speaking of gold, while professionally this is a goal, when asked about dreams coming

A dream come true would be a happy life with Patrick and hopefully lots of children and dogs. But for an athletic goal, gold in Rio is the goal — Gwen Jorgensen 26

| Australian Triathlete

true, Jorgensen provided a huge insight into the woman behind the superstar athlete.

“A dream come true would be a happy life with Patrick and hopefully lots of children and dogs. But, for an athletic goal, gold in Rio is the target.”

Jorgensen’s husband Patrick Lemieux plays a fundamental role in her life, not just as a loving partner but an integral part of the team that has aided Jorgensen’s rise to the top.

“Patrick is the reason I am successful in triathlon. Without Patrick, I wouldn’t be in a DTE. I don’t like to be away from home, and am only able to be away for eight months of the year because I have Patrick by my side. Besides the mental support, Patrick also helps with my recovery as he does all the shopping, cooking, and other chores...I’m pretty spoiled. Because Patrick comes from a cycling background, he also helps with my cycling. It’s great to have him on my bike rides, and my favorite thing to do on a

/// Cover /// cover story story

© Ryan Taylor / Red Bull Content Pool

© Delly Carr

ride with him is try to drop him going up really steep hills!”

Lemieux stepped away from his career in cycling to go on the road with Jorgensen seeing - like all that seem to come into her life - the enormous potential before him.

“It seems like Patrick’s heart is overflowing with love for me. It melts my heart and makes me feel so special. He gave up his dream of being a professional cyclist to help me achieve my goals. It’s incredible. I mean think about that – dropping your life, giving up your career all for your partner. And not only stopping your career, but also then giving 100 percent of your life to your partner’s life. He’s a one of a kind

man and one I’m going to hold on to – tight!” gushes Jorgensen.

While Jorgensen may be the most feared racer and hottest commodity on the ITU circuit right now, the quiet and unassuming Jorgensen is not particularly comfortable with the enormous hype that surrounds her every race, something of which will only intensify over the next year. With that in mind, Jorgensen and her super supportive team have put measures in place to ensure their star can remain as focused and relaxed as possible ahead of Rio. “I have an incredible support crew surrounding and protecting me. In Chicago last year, we set protocol for any hype we may

encounter. USAT, Jamie, and Patrick did a perfect job to insulate me. We will enforce the same plan in the future with any hype that may come.”One thing I think we can say for sure is that the hype will come!

Whatever the future holds for Jorgensen, whether it be gold medals, a quiet life in the burbs with children and dogs, or life behind an Ernst and Young desk as a CPA, triathlon as a sport is better for having an athlete like Jorgensen in it. Children a generation from now will Google the superstar that was Jorgensen and try to emulate that beautiful run style and beat her record winning streak – well that’s my prediction anyway!

Australian Triathlete |

27

e v o L y r o t S

J

The

© Ryan Taylor / Red Bull Content Pool

28

| Australian Triathlete

orgensen and Patrick Lemieux met on a training ride and immediately connected. Despite Jorgensen’s apprehension of a first date, by date number two, she was smitten. “Patrick was in Milwaukee (where I was living) for a bike race. He happened to join a group ride I was on and we had a mutual friend who introduced us. By the end of the ride, Patrick had given me a few tips on riding and must have been confident, because he asked me if I wanted to go out that night. I hesitated. And hesitated more. And some more! Finally Patrick said ‘It’s not a big deal, we don’t have to go out.’ For some reason that hooked me. Patrick took something away from me and I no longer had control, so I said “Yes, yes, let’s grab dinner tonight.

But first I have to do some gym once I get home. And I can’t stay out too late because I have work in the morning.” He should have known then that I am very particular and like schedules. We went out to dinner that night and I had a great time, but wasn’t planning on calling him again as he was living in another state.

Patrick drove to his home state, Minnesota, and was back in Wisconsin a week later. I think he was mad I never called him, however he wasn’t upset enough to not call me and ask me out again. I actually cancelled on our second date after having a rough day (8 hour work day and then went for a ride where I got two flat tyres). However, when we finally had our second date and he gave me a kiss goodnight…I think that’s when I was hooked.”

We often forget that professional athletes are ‘normal’ people like you and I, that behind closed doors they laugh, cry, argue, worry, have good days and bad. And like so many women do, when you think your partner is ready to propose, you begin to go a different brand of nutty. You imagine every action is them getting ready to get down on one knee, that every shopping trip is leading to a jewellery store. So it was completely heartwarming and refreshing to know Jorgensen may be one cool cat on the triathlon circuit but when it came to the man of her dreams proposing, the ‘regular’ Jorgensen was gutted when the moment she expected it went past without any big questions being popped!

“I was a wreck after Patrick didn’t propose. I was so sad.

He is the man that I wanted to have to myself for the rest of my life. However, a week later, Patrick did propose. It was the first snowfall of the year in St Paul, MN and Patrick was going out for a bike ride. He asked if I wanted to join and I said yes.

We were riding around St Paul and it was beautiful. It was so pretty that I asked Patrick to take a picture of me with the snow. He pulled out his phone and apparently he accidently pulled out the ring box. He thought I noticed and said “That’s just some food” and put it back in his pocket. I didn’t think twice about it. Patrick, on the other hand, was nervous the rest of the bike ride that I had seen the ring and that I knew he was going to propose. At the end of our ride, we were riding over the Ford Parkway Bridge and Patrick said “Isn’t it pretty? Let’s stop to take a picture.” I stopped, and was looking over the bridge thinking ‘It’s too foggy here, it’s not pretty here. What’s he going to get a picture of?’ Then Patrick started telling me how much he loved me. He said “You know I’ll love you forever.” I stopped him immediately and was furious. “You can’t say that!” I yelled at him. He went down on one knee, pulled out the ring, and said “But what if I do this?

Will you marry me?” I was in shock! I took a step back, slipped and fell on the ice. It was a spectacle. It was perfect. It was by far the best day of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever been that happy before or after.”

It seems like Patrick’s heart is overflowing with love for me.

It melts my heart and makes me feel so special . He gave up his dream of being a professional cyclist to help me achieve my goals. It’s incredible.

I mean think about that – dropping your life, giving up your career all for your partner.

AT: While you are not the person running on that blue carpet you must get enormous satisfaction from seeing Gwen on the top of the world?

PL: I am incredibly proud of my wife, I know it sounds cliché but I am the only one who sees the work she puts in every day. I see how hard Gwenny works every day to be the best triathlete and I always tell myself that if I just work equally as hard for her then I’m doing my job.

She motivates me to work harder every day.

So who is the man that makes Gwen Jorgensen’s heart flutter? Patrick Lemieux - Chef, cleaner, caregiver, number one supporter, former pro cyclist and as of late 2014, husband to the world number one.

AT: As a fellow partner of a pro, for me it was never a question would I hit the road, travel the world and do all I can to make my partner be all he can be - Was it an easy a decision for you?

PL: For me it was an easy decision, I had maxed out my potential as a professional cyclist and I knew that Gwen would benefit from having me on the road. I wanted to commit to our relationship and Gwen’s career. I have never looked back on my decision, but I do have to accept that Gwen can drop me on hills while riding now.

AT: You put your own athletic goals (as a pro cyclist) on hold to be Gwen’s full time support. As an athlete that is one of biggest sacrifices you could make – it says a lot about how much you love her and belief in her?

PL: I had been a cyclist for many years and I had great experiences and lifelong friends, but in late 2012 when I decided to travel with Gwen I was ready to walk away from cycling.

AT: You cook, clean, train with Gwen and you must be attentive to Gwen’s needs - are you the perfect husband? Maybe Gwen should answer that one!!

PL: Every day I look for improvements and innovations to advance Gwen’s triathlon career and our relationship. If I can cook well, I see this as a benefit to everything…except my waistline.

#GWENSANITY Over the last year we have seen the rise of the now globally used hash tag #gwensanity. The nickname, coined by Jorgsensen’s coach Jamie Turner, who, prior to her starting with his squad would openly refer to Jorgensen as Gwensanity in reference to her insane abilities.

Australian Triathlete |

29

/// Feature

Super Jake: Apple of our Isle Tasmanian youngster, Jake Birtwhistle, has been a sensation over the Australian summer, winning an impressive array of races and championship titles.

Noel McMahon caught up with the talented young gun.

t e x t b y N o e l M c Ma h o n | p h o t o g r a p h y b y D e l l y Ca r r

F

irst there was brewer James Boag, then cycling superstar Danny Clark, cricketers David Boon and Ricky Ponting, and most recently actors Rachael Taylor and Simon Baker. These folk are the most famous people to hail from Launceston and if all goes to plan, someday soon we might soon be able to add a triathlete to that illustrious list and local lad Jake Birtwhistle is the most likely candidate.

Australian triathlon is desperately looking for its next hero and the man dubbed ‘Super Jake’ and ‘X Factor’ by his training partners, has been the sensation of the Australian summer, winning every major Australian Elite and Under-23 title and finishing on the podium in only his second ITU World Cup race.

Jake is just starting to show the potential necessary to rapidly step up from juniors and be a serious contender for an Olympic spot in 2016 but he is no overnight sensation.

‘Mr X’ and his prodigious talent have been on the radar of talent scouts from Triathlon Australia and Athletics Australia for the past

30

| Australian Triathlete

eight years, both keen that he choose their sport exclusively. But Jake kept them guessing until only recently.

“It is hard to say how I got into triathlon.

I had done a couple of national cross country races representing Tasmania before I did my first triathlon. But I did a triathlon when I was 12.

“I had wanted to do it for a few years but Mum and Dad never really let me get into it until then. We got a newsletter at school and it was a ‘come and try sort of thing’. Something nice and short, so I convinced them to let me do it because it was such a nice little one but at the last minute it got cancelled.

“The same weekend there was a local Launceston Triathlon Club event about 30 minute drive from where we live and I ended up going

and doing that but it was double the distance of the Weetbix one but still a supersprint. I went and did it in a rash top, speedos and socks but I loved it and had a great time. I didn’t go particularly well but I enjoyed it and it was something that I wanted to keep doing.

“So we bought two road bikes out of the newspaper, one for me and one for Dad because Mum wouldn’t let me go ride out on the road by myself. Collectively they cost $100, they were both steel frames but one of them had a crack in a join but Dad got it welded back together and it was all good to go from there,” he said.

Triathon Australia’s National Manager of Athlete Development, Craig Redman, himself a legend in Tasmanian triathlon, remembers it all very clearly.

‘Mr X’ and his prodigious talent have been on the radar of talent scounts for the past eight years — Noel McMahon

Photo: © Delly Carr

/// Feature

“We first saw Jake when he was in the Tasmanian schools team and the national championship was in Devonport of all places.

He was only a little 12-year-old and I think he got second there. My wife was involved with the team as the manager and it was she who said that I needed to have a look at this kid.

“That was the first time I had seen him.

He loved his athletics and I really wanted to encourage him to keep running because it was obviously a weapon with the ability to change speeds and all the stuff you learn on the track.

“We built a really good relationship with his running coach Kim Gillard, who was a very good runner in his own right and an elite Australian representative in marathons. Kim did a really good job looking after his training program and between Kim and I, we oversaw his programs of swimming and biking and putting it all together while he still dabbled in both.”

The Triathlon Tasmania junior development squad was sponsored by the famous Fairbrother family and Redman remembers that when Jake was a little kid, all he wanted to do was to get a Fairbrother’s suit like Craig Walton.

“Jake made the Fairbrother’s squad, coached

by Wayne Gale, and got his flying F suit and to him that meant he was on his way.”

Jake lived in Launceston and Redman was in Ulverstone, 100 kilometres away, so a lot of the training was by prescription. But every weekend, Jake and another athlete, Dylan Evans, would make the trip up the coast.

“Jake and Dylan would stay at my place every Friday night and sleep in the rumpus room and became part of the family. They would train with my squad on Saturday and Sunday and head home Sunday night. That went on for a while but we always knew at some stage that we couldn’t give him what he wanted and he needed a daily training environment and he needed to be with a high performance squad,” Redman said.

From an early age, Jake clearly knew how to win, establishing himself as one of the hottest properties in junior athletics representing Australia as a junior at the World Cross Country Championships and picking up 11 Australian titles on the track in middle distance events and steeplechase, setting age and open state records.

As recently as 2013, Jake was still combining track, cross country and triathlon, representing Australia at the junior worlds in triathlon and cross country, and picking up the under-20 3000 metre championship at the Zatopek meet in Melbourne, winning the final in 8:11.32.

“I was on the right path as a distance runner with 11 titles on the track but only one silver medal in triathlon (All Schools Nationals in Devonport) but people are always asking me why I chose triathlon. swim school: ‘Super Jake’ is working hard with coach Jamie Turner to make his swim leg world class.

Australian Triathlete |

31

/// Feature

“I had cross trained all through my athletic career but would never have called myself a runner. Running was where my goals were and what I wanted to do, but at the time I was swimming and riding more than running.

“The cross training helped me as a runner to keep healthy. I went to camps as a 13-year-old and there were kids my age doing sessions twice a day, and I was running three times a week and I was still able to beat them.

“Over time I just grew more fond of triathlon and eventually decided that I could be pretty good at it. My goal is an Olympic gold medal and an Australian has more chance of doing that in triathlon; our country has a great record in the sport. It is not the same with long distance running. So that was basically the thought process behind it,” he recalled.

As soon as Jake finished Year 12, he made the decision to go full time with triathlon, making the jump across to Jamie Turner’s squad affectionately known as the Wollongong Wizards.

“I had known for quite a while that once I finished school that I would be moving from Launceston. I worked with Craig Redman and the National Talent Academy program for three or four years and we had discussed it. For me, at the time, the choice was either Jamie Turner or Craig Walton.

“I got Year 12 out of the way, I finished school the year of the London World

My goal is an Olympic gold medal and an Australian has more chance of doing that in triathlon — Jake Birtwhistle Championship and I finished up sixth. I did a six-week block just before exams but I got home and got it all done and actually did quite well at school, a lot better than I thought I would.

“I had done some work with Craig and his team up on the Gold Coast so I had a feel for it and I spent a week with the Wizards up in Falls Creek in 2013. I decided I liked Jamie’s group and got along well with the athletes, so I went back in January for the month and straight to Wollongong from there and haven’t looked back since.”

Jake continued on his successful streak, winning the Australian Junior and Under-23 title, the Junior series title, the Oceania Junior Championship and gold at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival Triathlon.

There was more of the same in 2014 with Jake winning the Australian Junior title, the Mooloolaba Oceania Cup and the World Junior Duathlon Championships. This was also when Jake started to get a taste for the world outside of junior ranks, placing seventh in the Oceania Olympic Distance Championships and 16th in his first ITU World Cup in Chengdu.

32

| Australian Triathlete

big summer: Birtwhistle took out both olympic & sprint oceania and australian championships earlier this year

Making the transition is not a simple thing and unfortunately when a young athlete starts to show a bit of form, there is a temptation for everyone to get excited at the prospect of them becoming the next great one. It is always a dangerous time because as their world changes, so do expectations in terms of results, sponsorship, media coverage and it is easy for an athlete to get lost.

As part of the Wollongong Wizards and as Triathlon Australia’s poster boy, Jake has an extensive and very supportive network but he is also very aware that you can go from hero to zero very quickly.

“It has been good to step out of the junior ranks and in my first season as a full time elite athlete, get the two Australian titles in the space of two weeks. It is pretty exciting not only for the year ahead, but a career ahead.

“It is not just swimming, riding and running.

There is a lot more involved in it than I would have thought. I was thinking I would just finish Year 12 and it would be a pretty relaxed lifestyle but it is not quite like that at all.

“Part of stepping up and getting the recognition is the new commitments of dealing with the media and being involved in press conferences and things like that. So there is a lot

/// Feature

Speed runner THE ACCOMPLISHED RUNNER IS HARD TO BEAT ONCE ON TWO LEGS

more to do than I thought but it is something I am getting a grip on and something that will become a habit and part of my routine.

“The transition is an individual thing.

Athletes like Jonny and Alistair Brownlee are still young and have been there for such a long time but then there are athletes who don’t reach their best until their late 20s, so it is personal.

Things are taking time for me to progress, but at the same time they are moving forward for me.

Turner to make sure he is as bullet proof and prepared as he can possibly be.

“The swim is my weakest leg, so that is something we are working on changing up the technique and making sure everything is right to get 100 per cent out of what I am doing. Same with the bike.

“Coming from a running background I am very confident with that leg but there was a decay with running off the bike, rather than just running a straight five kilometres. We have

I would love to go to Rio and represent Australia and race well, but if it doesn’t happen then so be it — Jake Birtwhistle “The plan is to be up there with the best in the world and eventually take them on and be one of them. Once I get established and get more of a feel for it, it will be different.

It definitely is a step up but over time I will learn to adjust and be one of those guys as well.”

Jake is aware that to be going head to head with the world’s best means he cannot afford to have any weakness that can be exploited and he is working with coach Jamie

34

| Australian Triathlete

focused a lot on the bike as well, so that in a race I am not so tired coming off the bike and I still have what it takes in my legs to go out and run fast.”

Jake is making his debut on the World Triathlon Series just as the world of Olympic distance triathlon embarks on its on frantic journey towards Rio 2016, so he knows there are interesting times ahead.

“The next twelve months are very important in terms of selection for Rio but at the end of

the day I just have to go out and race and do everything I can to get the best results, follow all the steps and tick all the boxes that Jamie and I have planned out. The progression will come from following the processes.

“I would obviously love to go to Rio and represent Australia and race well but if it doesn’t happen, then so be it, because it is not going to be easy. There are a lot of great Australian athletes who are obviously going to be aiming for those spots.

“But the most important thing for me at the moment is to keep on progressing and see where that takes me. If I get to that level in the next 12 months, that is great but I just have to keep progressing no matter how long it takes.

“This is my first year in the Under-23s, so we will be looking at the under 23 Worlds as a priority at the end of the season but racing the WTS races will be a bit of an experience.

Hopefully I can show that I deserve my spot and keep it throughout the year.

“At the moment I am loving the travel and all aspects of the opportunity to go to different places and see the world. It is a pretty amazing opportunity I have been given by this sport,” he said.

NEXT GENERATION REHYDRATION

Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist consult your healthcare professional.

endura.com.au

END4959 - 03/15

Endura Rehydration Performance Fuel contains sodium and potassium at levels recommended for athletes in endurance events. With 20 g of carbohydrates per dose for energy and Meta Mag 速 Magnesium to help prevent muscular cramps and spasms and relieve aches and pain, it is a truly comprehensive rehydration formula.

CHC70335 - 01/15

Lemon Lime flavour supplied on course

Sirius

M US I N GS Honest work brings honest confidence

C

onfidence - such a powerful thing to have going into your racing season. We all race better with confidence. Less anxiety, less fear, no question marks.

What we all want when we line up to race is KNOWING that we did everything we needed to do to show up on that start line, one hundred percent ready.

As a coach, what this means to me, is leaving no stone unturned - laying out a plan that covers every facet relevant to preparing my athletes to race. Not just the physical work, but also the mental work, the technical work, and the tactical work. It means laying down a strong foundation, enabling athletes to manage the work that I give them with ease. It also means laying out goals each day, and successfully achieving them.

And by achieving those goals do I mean nailing them? Achieving personal best times or wattages?

No, achievement is about successfully getting the work done. Putting in the effort necessary, doing it with great intent, and with a laser focus.

If that results in personal bests and best ever training performances, great - but that’s a bonus.

Having just done your best, and executing the task properly brings you one step closer to any goal you have - that is success.

By getting the job done, day after day, you are not only making progress, but you are developing confidence. To me, confidence needs to be an honest confidence. One that comes from honest work and proof each day that you had a

goal, you worked hard, you gave it everything you had, and you accomplished it.

Undoubtedly, what comes of this is progress such as improved performances, going faster with less effort, pushing higher wattages, or riding or running a course quicker than you did a few weeks before. You’re able to better handle your emotions and thought processes in a highpressure training scenario, hang on that little bit longer in a hard session, or technically maneuver around a laid out course better than ever.

Hard work, and consistent dedication to executing your daily tasks brings a great sense of satisfaction. Knowing that you are moving forward, developing skills, and enhancing others help build the belief in yourself and in your ability to tackle the challenges of race day, head on, and with a confident spirit.

Confidence doesn’t come from me telling my athletes “Hey, you are doing great, you are ready”. It comes from the athlete proving that very fact to themselves. REAL confidence comes from within.

Real confidence comes from real work.

The day before the race, I encourage all my athletes to go into their training logs and look at all the work they have done leading up this race. Look at the ‘proof’ - that they are ready for anything come race day. That they are fully prepared and that all they have to do now is execute. If they do that, success is inevitable.

As a coach, it amazes me how athletes can lose perspective on what a good effort is. A big

“By getting the job done, day after day, you are not only are making progress, but you are developing confidence.” — Siri Lindley 36

| Australian Triathlete

thing that I live by in my life, and in my career as a coach, is honesty. “Blowing wind up someone’s a$$” as the Aussies say, does no good. In case you aren’t familiar with the term, it means offering endless encouragement or praise NOT based on actual fact. I will never blow wind up my athletes’ a$$es. It will do both them and myself no good.

Each day, athletes are met with a laid out challenge. This challenge is different for each individual and is presented to him or her by me.

The challenge they then give themselves, is to go after that goal. The focus is on the purpose of the goal, getting something out of it, doing the best that they can, and enjoying it! If they do all these things, they can tick that box off as a successful session. If they performed well, great. If they had their best ever session, fantastic.

What I do find is that athletes often forget that every session doesn’t have to be a personal best to be great one. If they struggled, but kept at it and never gave up, awesome. If they successfully completed a hard swim, giving their all every single length without hitting the times © Siri Lindley

Siri Lindley A world champion athlete herself and now one of the most revered triathlon coaches in the world, Siri enables athletes to become the champions and the people they were born to be. With an ability to see things in people they cannot see in themselves, Siri is driven by a unrivalled passion for triathlon and the people within. http://siri-lindley.com

Siri Lindley they hit on their best days, is that failure?

Absolutely not. Perhaps they are on day three of a heavy training block and are arriving at this session with a great amount of fatigue. Stepping up and having a crack at the session, but swimming a couple of seconds slower per hundred, well that is still success to me. They didn’t give up, they didn’t not try, and did the best that they could with what they had that day.

So when I say to an athlete, “great session”, and they reply with, “that sucked I was two seconds slower per hundred on every interval”, I have to set them straight and explain why it was in fact, a very good set. And if they do fall short of achieving the goal, we look into why. What held them back? What can we learn from the session that will make us better? If the effort wasn’t there, or the attitude was bad, I will let them know.

Honesty involves letting people and athletes know when a job is done well. It is also letting them know when they have let themselves down.

If I see an athlete give up or not try, I will call them out. I will ask them what they think this is going to accomplish. I ask them to reconnect to the

reason they are doing this, and what they are looking to achieve.

Effort and attitude is crucial to a positive and powerful training environment. If the effort isn’t there, or the attitude is negative and, in turn, draining the positivity of others, I make a point to get the message across that this is not winning behavior. I remind them that this is not going to help them be the best that they can be.

What it will do is hinder performance, and if continued, can kill their dreams.

It is so important that behaviour like this is addressed. Athletes need to understand how a bad attitude, or not attending a session is going to lead to a decline in performance, and a decrease in their enjoyment of the sport.

Fortunately, I don’t see much of this in my squad, but if I do, I will immediately call the person out on it. I treasure the positive and inspiring environment I have created with my squad, and I will never let that be compromised.

If you consider your own mind as your ‘environment’, try to make it as fun, motivating and inspiring as possible. You have to train there

everyday. If you want to be the best that you can be, and love the everyday challenge of this sport, take care of this environment. Nurture it and feed it with positivity and good intent.

Not every day has to be brilliant - that would be impossible. But even on days when we suffer the most and struggle to get through, great things can be accomplished. When we fall short of what we hoped for on a given day, but come back the next day more fired up than ever to work hard and try again, that is success. That is confidence building that nourishes our core mission to never, ever give up!

Come race day, should things go wrong and you have a tough start to the day, you will not give up. You will make the most of what you have.

You will use the problem solving abilities that you tapped into in training, and find a way to finish that race the very best that you can.

You can falter, and rise again, in any one race. The key is to believe that you can, and to never, ever give up.

© Siri Lindley

IT ALWAYS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL IT’S DONE. NELSON MANDELA

Focus: Be fearless, work hard and strive for the impossible all Team Sirius mottos.

Australian Triathlete |

37

Sirius

M USINGS

Mistakes happen.

Perfect doesn’t exist.

Hard work can be FUN!

Stay in the moment, do the best that you can in each moment, and execute the best that you can the rest of the way. You will be surprised at what can be accomplished when you hang in there - stay strong, stay present and never give up!

The confidence that we build day after day in training, is what gives you the inner strength, and the knowing inside that no matter what, you will be okay. No matter what, you can cross the line victorious.

Yes, it really can. What I have found out is that the more fun you have with it, the longer you can sustain it, and the more powerful the results are.

If day after day you drag your butt to the pool, and grudgingly go through your given set, counting down the laps until breakfast, you most likely will not achieve the results you are looking for.

Arrive at each session with the full intent to do your very best in every moment. Embrace the challenges, and get everything you can out of the work. If you do this, training becomes extremely fulfilling, motivating and a constant source of growing confidence.

I am all about working hard, and hard would be an understatement. But, I also encourage

Confidence.

It comes from hard work but it also comes from being fully present in your life, and in all that you do every single day.

The challenge is to constantly push yourself day after day to be the best that you can be. That is confidence building - it is also very satisfying!

What I want to discuss now, is the satisfaction gained from building confidence through honest work.

athletes to truly enjoy the work. Embrace the challenges and love the feeling of pushing yourself to the limit, and the feeling of satisfaction gained after a job well done.

My squad is known to work incredibly hard, but you will also hear laughs and good cheer from the training grounds. This is key to keeping it fresh, inspiring and fulfilling!

Is there a way to make a ‘Pain Cave’ torture session fun? Yes, there is - be creative and find ways to increase the JOY FACTOR. By doing this, you inevitably arrive and perform better during the session, and are more equipped to tap into your full powers. Take it all in - all the inspiration of your fellow training partners, your coach, or create challenges within yourself.

Make it an all-round creative experience and most importantly, make it fun. Be creative in

“I am all about working hard, and hard would be an understatement. But, I also encourage athletes to truly enjoy the work.”

— Siri Lindley

© Siri Lindley

your thought processes, your execution of the task, or in your management of pain. Make it a game and play hard!

Satisfaction comes from knowing you did a job well, that you gave your all, did your best and that you gained something from having done so.

Satisfaction also comes from taking away more from sessions than just the numbers, or the outcomes. Satisfaction comes from embracing the whole process, devoting yourself entirely to the present moment, and walking away with an added confidence from having done the REAL WORK with all your heart.

Confidence doesn’t just come from personal bests and daily victories in training. It comes from successfully completing your daily training tasks, wholeheartedly and with purpose. Enjoy it, and get the most out of yourself. It’s all the same confidence, and will serve you well on race day! Confidence is added fuel to your proverbial fire. Build it up honestly and it will give you what you need in those clutch moments in a race, and in life.

TEAMwork: Lindley has created a positive squad environment where hard work is all part of the fun!

38

| Australian Triathlete

Step up to the plate, and swing hard. It will pay off in more ways than you can imagine.

Sunday, July 26 Enter now: runmelbourne.com.au 5KM | 10KM | HALF-MARATHON

#runmelbourne

Brought to you by

#Whatsyourtristory Simon Kemp In 2009 I herniated two discs in my lower back, which is a very painful and generally unpleasant experience that even today has left me with poor flexibility in my back and loss of feeling in my left foot. It also made a significant (negative) impact on my mental health. The treatment options were surgery or physiotherapy. With an aversion to surgery I chose the physical rehab option, which, eventually, included swimming and cycling. As the laps added up and the cycling became easier I added running to my rehab and before you know it I had entered a sprint distance race. Triathlon is a sport I had never considered but after completing my first race I was hooked.

The positive energy surrounding the entire event was uplifting and the satisfaction of simply completing the race (don’t ask me my time!) was immeasurable.

So, one sprint distance race turned into one series of sprint distance races, which motivated me to try the Olympic distance, and eventually, Busselton 70.3. Completing “Busso” for the first time was an amazing experience, and is now an annual pilgrimage that is a mandatory.

Triathlon provided me with a pathway to overcome a significant physical injury, iallowed me to meet new friends and, at 46 years of age, I suspect I am fitter than ever. The positive energy surrounding the events is simply remarkable and helpful in maintain good mental health.

Brad Bootsma

Stephanie Griffiths

I moved to Albany in 2005 and joined the Albany Triathlon Club and enjoyed the challenge that tri’s threw at you. At first I only did the club tri’s and then decided to try and do a half Ironman at Busselton and after that event I qualified for Port Macquarie Ironman and entered that. Since that race I have been amazed by the way this sport is done. There is so much science and learning to the sport, that is in itself a full time job. I have now completed nine Ironman events and will be competing in my 10th this year at Busselton Ironman. This will be my fifth half Ironman and the friendships I have made in this journey has been most enjoyable. I would encourage anyone wanting to get into the sport to get involved, as it is a great way to remain social while training and everyone is so accommodating and helpful.

I was never an athlete, in fact I couldn’t swim 50m when I used to watch my husband race back in the late 90s. Eventually I thought I should give triathlon a go.

I remember my first Half Ironman/70.3 as if it was yesterday. Rottnest 2000, as I walked to the swim start a lone Scotsman stood on top of a sand dune playing his bagpipes. It was quite an emotional moment for me. The fear of the unknown.

This day was the start of a yearly tradition for me and to date I have not missed a year. Now that I live in Melbourne, 70.3 Busselton brings me back to Western Australia every year. 2019 will be 20 consecutive years and the plan is to have my two children and my husband race with me.

AT will be chasing age groupers at different races around the country, asking #whatsyourtristory

40

| Australian Triathlete

Casey Hyde My name is Casey Hyde a 28-yearold Para-triathlete from Perth. I was born with a severe eye condition called retinal dystrophy. I didn’t lose my vision until the later stages of my teenage hood. I was a Para-cyclist for Australia and I loved racing fast on tandem bikes!

After spending three years in Melbourne training as a Myotherapist, I moved back to Perth to work. I couldn’t find a pilot to ride my tandem, until Tarnia Stone saw my ad on Gumtree. She came over, gave my tandem bike a go and this started my crazy adventure into the triathlon world. Tarnia in her own right is a brilliant triathlete. She told me if I wanted to ride I would have to become one too! I was overweight and had a bad attitude. The women in triathlon program got me involved in this amazing sport.

The North Coast Tri Club supported my development and Tarnia became my guide. It was a new sport in Australia and not many legally blind people would trust someone especially in a triathlon. I wanted to ride so I had to learn how to run and swim.

My nickname was turtle because I couldn’t run but, I gave every race a go. I found Kathrine Humphreys, who is a born cyclist, to take over at times when Tarnia was busy. But at the end of 2013 I moved back to Melbourne. I had just gotten a new tandem bike, now famously called the ‘Flying Gherkin’, and while I felt I had lost a friend when I said goodbye to Perth, I needed a job!

It was tough 2014 season I had to teach Melbourne about Para-triathlon. I had no guides so I kept going back to Perth to race. I started competing at real national champion races with an iron woman named Jody Gilchrist. After coming first in Australia I got news from home - my Perth tri guide Tarnia was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. At that stage Kathrine became my guide.

Tarnia lost her right hearing from the operation.

We all thought she wouldn’t guide again.

I had an ultra marathon runner Alannah Cooper as my world champion guide and we won our category. Tarnia was adjusting to the new challenges of being half deaf.

She supported me morally. I asked her at the end of the year if she could guide me at my first

qualifier for the 2015 season and she did. We raced together at the first Telstra Tri Series in Perth and it was such an epic race. We both had to help each other - Tarnia navigating me and I helped with noise awareness. I remember after the race I was on her right side asking her if she wanted a coffee, then she said ‘I’d love a coffee’ - I jumped back on her left side to ask her again!!

Kathrine nominated me to race in the half ironman in Busselton 2015. I was terrified of the commitment and I felt at ease when Tarnia said yes to the offer to guide. I lost my night vision last year so I now have a reason to finish in the daylight! I’m excited to participate with both guides - Kathrine racing solo and Tarnia tethered to me.

Photo: © Paparazzi On The Run

AT will be chasing age groupers at different races around the country, asking #whatsyourtristory

Australian Triathlete |

41

Triathlon You wouldn’t play footy or netball without learning the rules right? The same goes for triathlon. Coach Julie Tedde highlights some of the big no-nos you may not know about. t e x t b y J u l i e T e dd e | p h o t o g r a p h y b y D e l l y Ca r r

L

ike any sport, competing in triathlon means adhering to certain rules.

These are generally for your safety, the safety of your competitors, and to make the event as fair as humanly possible.

Break a rule, such as any from the list below (this is not a comprehensive list, just some of the common rules broken) and an official in one of those yellow vests will come over and have a chat with you and potentially give you

some sort of penalty. Penalties can vary from a stern talking to through to a time penalty in a penalty area, a time penalty there and then, or disqualification.

TRANSITION

SWIM

1. Bringing bags into transition

1. Wearing glove or booties.

This is a big no-no. You MUST not take anything other than what you will use in the triathlon out.

PENALTY: Your bag will be taken out and good luck finding it!

2. Heading into transition with your kids, hubby or wife.

Only the person racing can enter transition. He or she is typically identified by their security wristband.

PENALTY: Other than being told sternly to get the family out, nothing…

I have seen some less experienced athletes want to wear gloves or booties (those used in surfing) due to the cold water. These are not to be worn in triathlons.

PENALTY: Potential disqualification or a serious talking-to or a time penalty.

2. Wearing a sleeved triathlon suit in a non-wetsuit swim.

So no throwing your goggles and cap to someone as you head out of the water. No heading out on the run and remembering your helmet is still on your head and tossing it aside to collect later.

PENALTY: You will be asked to pick the item up and put back with your bike or where your allocated spot is. If you don’t, you’ll be given a time penalty.

Besides not being allowed to wear a neoprene wetsuit during ‘non wetsuit’ swims, it also means no to those super snazzy new triathlon suits with sleeves and also compression calf tubes.

PENALTY: Potential disqualification Don’t worry it happens to the best of us: Craig Alexander, the three-time Ironman World Champion had a lapse in thinking and entered the swim at 70.3 Hawaii in 2014 with his sleeved suit and was subsequently disqualified.

“I was DQ’d today for wearing a sleeved tri top in a non-wetsuit swim. I take full responsibility for not knowing the rule,” Alexander tweeted after the race.

4. Going off course

3. Walking on water.

3. Dropping of any equipment anywhere on the course other than in transition at your ‘area’.

While not recommended unfortunately sometimes this happens. As long as you ‘re-enter’ the course where you came off and then continue on the correct path, you will be allowed to continue.

PENALTY: Potential disqualification Don’t worry it happens to the best of us: West Aussie Renee Baker made her pro debut at Ironman 70.3 Busselton in 2014 and came across the line in fourth place only to be disqualified at the finish line for going off course. While she did bike around 4km extra, she didn’t return to course where she came off.

42

| Australian Triathlete

You are not allowed to move forward (walk) in the swim if it is deep enough to swim.

PENALTY: Time penalty or disqualification

BIKE

RUN

1. Sitting next to someone riding on the course.

1. Outside assistance.

The technical term for this is ‘blocking’.

PENALTY: A time penalty in the penalty box when you pass it.

2. Urinating while riding or running on the course.

This includes getting off your bike and weeing anywhere other than a toilet (porta loo or toilet block).

PENALTY: If caught in the act, you will be given a time penalty – and potentially even be disqualified. *HINT: If you need to pee on the bike (common in long course events), use a water bottle to disguise what you are doing.

3. Riding without a singlet or top on if you are a male athlete.

So yes, females can just have bathers on or a crop top but males MUST wear a top on the bike and run.

PENALTY: Most likely you’ll be stopped and told to get a top on before recommencing.

4. Outside assistance.

If you have a flat tire, you have to change it on your own with no help from a spectator or event mechanics that are on course. They can only help you with spare part if it is needed.

PENALTY: You could be disqualified or given a time penalty.

5. No helmet no ride.

You must have your helmet on before you take or even touch your bike.

PENALTY: Most likely you’ll be stopped and told to get a top on before recommencing.

Great planning is to tell someone to be waiting for you and hand you some of your special food or drink. In triathlon, this is an absolute no-no at all times throughout the competition. It is known as outside assistance.

PENALTY: You could be disqualified or given a time penalty.

2. Wearing earphones (unless at Challenge Family events).

Wearing your earphones for some entertainment throughout the run certainly makes time fly. However, it will see you pulled up pretty quickly and you will be asked to remove them immediately. This rule applies on the bike as well. PENALTY: Time penalty.

3. Having a pacer.

You are used to running with a friend and they have said they are happy to run with you. This is not allowed.

It is known as having a ‘pacer’. It is also considered ‘outside assistance’.

PENALTY: Disqualification or a time penalty.

4. The finish chute is a solo mission.

In all Ironman branded events only athletes are allowed to cross the finish line. If you have family members cross the line with you (babies are a big no-no) it can result in a disqualification. Challenge Family events do allow this however.

PENALTY: Disqualification 5. Littering is a crime!

You may not throw a water bottle, gel or any item away outside an aid station on either the bike or run PENALTY: Time penalty or disqualification Don’t worry it happens to the best of us: Matty White raced and ‘won’ the Albany half iron-distance event in Western Australia but was disqualified at the end of the event for littering.

Australian Triathlete |

43

/// Feature

tips &tricks Former pro triathlete and coach extraordinaire Nick Croft, offers his wisdom on all things training and racing?

1. Running downhill Running down hill is not as easy as you may think. Good downhill runners seemingly do it effortlessly but it does take practice and a progressive approach.

Because your body absorbs more impact with each foot strike, you could get injured quite quickly if you are not conditioned for it. It’s easy to over stride when running downhill, which makes you land harder, tires you out sooner, and makes you more at risk of getting an injury. For downhill technique it is better to shorten your stride and focus on quicker foot turnover. As in general good run form you want to aim to keep your shoulders, hips, and feet aligned and the feeling is like controlled falling so your over your centre of gravity and this gives you forward momentum and better foot placement.

Although it’s tempting to take huge steps to reduce the pounding on your legs, over striding hill pound your quads and you’ll suffer in the following days. Aim to keep feet lower to the ground and try to stay light on your feet and get those feet off the ground as quickly as you can.

Don’t lean back and try to break yourself. Allow the gravity to pull you as you go down the hill.

When running downhill, we don’t need the arm movement for power like you do on flats and up hills. So for more stability try positioning your arms out to the side for better balance. It can help give your body the control on steeper or technical sections if some turning is involved. Like cyclists descending, look ahead of yourself - further down the hill, not down where your feet are.

Add downhill running to your training a little at a time. Start with a short, gradual slope, and move on to steeper and longer descents, as you get more comfortable. Off road trails for down hills or grassy slopes are best at first, then progress to harder surfaces. Repeated downhill runs are hard sessions so need to be treated like one so a few days of easy running cross training (swim / bike for triathletes) will allow your legs to absorb the stress. No serious down hills leading up to important events too – certainly the last ten days to two weeks out.

44

| Australian Triathlete

2. Taking aid during the bike leg of a race The good old 5 p’s applies here (proper preparation prevents poor performance). It takes lots of practice and taking time to rehearse these skills that are part of riding and racing that we all must learn to do.

Taking bottles and food from aid stations, being able to look behind and keep a straight line – especially on aero bars, cornering and descending. It makes up the package that we as triathletes must become competent in to be safe road users in training, solo or in packs and of course come race day.

Triathlete age groupers as compared to roadies, due to the nature of the sport generally don’t spend a lot of time on skill development.

Non-draft legal races bike courses usually do not requiring as high level of technical skill as doing a cycle crit race for example. Alot of triathletes also train alone and even shun group rides preaching they need to do it on your own as this is how the race day is. This of course is true in part – as an age group triathlete, race day is non-drafting and you can’t ride in a pack, side-by-side or directly behind drafting in a group. This does not mean that adding in a group ride into your program regularly (not every ride) cannot also have some benefits, not

only skills but also fitness fine-tuning. Better bike handling will improve your cycling and your transitions. In training and racing you’ll be safer on the bike and will make you more confident in both training and racing. The most basic bike skill is balance. Eating and drinking on the bike, holding a line while riding, and looking behind the bike without swerving are all balance skills.

There are little exercises you can do, on safe, flat stretches that will help. This can inlude, riding solo initially or with club mates in a single pace line. When riding at easy pace you can practice changing between aero bars, to top of bars and to drops, along with eating and drinking. Try to practice reaching for and replace the bottle without looking for it and keep eyes fixed ahead. Aim to keep riding in a straight line by staying just on or slightly over to the right shoulder of the road or bike lane if one is available. This all helps your balance.

Another tip for beginners is when coming to traffic lights practice down shifting to easier gears before slowing or stopping. This means when you get going again, the bike is not in too harder gear making it hard to get in motion.

At our Noosa Tri Camps, where we run an all women’s camp, we like to get the campers to do a simple balance drill. Getting a group of riders © Delly Carr

Practice: It’s important to do skills training to help with balance so when you come to race day it’s not a complete unknown.

SWIM

BIKE

RUN

Nick Croft Nick Croft is a former professional triathlete, Australian Triathlete of the Year and two-time winner of the Noosa Triathlon.

With 19 years coaching experience under his belt, Croft provides online training programs for athletes of all ages and abilities through www.mscsport.com.au and runs Noosa Tri Camps in Noosa Heads, Australia.

together on some flat nicely mown grass. Mark out a large square with a set of cones. In an easy gear we play a game where the last person to get to the other side of the square ‘wins’. The idea is to weave and go at a slow speed in easy gears so the slower you go the more you need to balance. This exercise develops balance, bike control, and confidence in riding close to others.

Not being able to take corners at speed can be a hazard to yourself and others around you – training or racing - not to mention loss of time and energy. Once you’re into a corner you’re there and even though you can change your direction a little it is quite limited to do so once you’re committed. You need to set yourself before a corner and look to lean the bike and body. Always bringing the inside pedal up in a corner, driving the weight through the outside leg. You also need to look ahead of yourself and beyond the turn and the line you want to take as you’re going through the turn. Judging your speed before you enter your turn and making an adjustment before you start turning the bike. Braking in a turn is not something you should do.

All these are components to good cornering. Another skill session, which is worthwhile in an empty parking lot, is that of practicing cornering drills.

The basic start up one is riding between two cones set 15-20 metres or so apart then around one in one direction then come back and turn the opposite. Do this several times until you get used to it. Moving onto a slalom course after this with a row of 12-15 cones spaced about 3-4m apart to start with then as you get better weaving in and out, bring the cones closer together. Riders weave through the cones, progressively faster and faster. Make sure you practice the drills in both directions and get very comfortable with it before doing downhill practice runs. Starting with not so technical 3-4 percent downhill grades are ideal and we are lucky locally in Noosa to have the 3km Noosa Triathlon climbing section of the bike leg that is great for downhill practice in training to master descending on a road that is closed to vehicular traffic.

Bunch riding is a skill that all triathletes need to develop. All the skills spoken above – balance, taking corners, holding a line holding and descending are one you need to ride in a pack. Being able to ride with a group allows you to train with others, which is more enjoyable and often makes you push harder than you would on your own. So even if you still do 90% of your rides solo or on an indoor trainer there will be times you simply cannot avoid riding in a pack with club mates, at an event, pre race, or if you did a training camp for example.

A lot of this is common sense. Knowing the general etiquette, calling out hazards, make your intentions known, take your turn out the front and so on.

Some bunch rides do not allow TT bikes or certainly you’ll find all don’t allow you as triathletes to be on your aero bars while sitting in which is very dangerous being away from your brakes and making response time slow to get to them. Also when taking a turn at the front of a group after you have been sitting in you need to keep the pace going consistently rather than get to the front and suddenly accelerate and ‘smash it’ as your speed will play havoc with the rest of the group and the ‘elastic band’ will stretch and as this ‘ripple effect’ goes further back in the bunch, it becomes more difficult for riders at the rear. You should also ride in a smooth, straight line and as with all bunch riding you need to communicate with those riding around you. Doing regular skills for those new to the sport or those that are not confident should be done regularly until that aspect starts to flow and you can apply out on the road.

Make 2015 Your Best Season

AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER TRI CAMPS Noosa has it all, with one of the best triathlon training environments you will ever find.

Open water swimming in Laguna Bay, running in the Noosa National Park and cycling on undulating hinterland roads.

With world class facilities to support your stay. There is something for all triathletes in our yearly calendar of camp packages.

2015 NOOSA TRI CAMPS DATES February 11 - 15 Ironman / Long Distance Noosa - (5 Days) June 27 to July 4 ‘Velo Luberon’ Bike Tour of Luberon region of Provence (South of France - 7 days) August 14 - 16

Sprint to Olympic Distance Noosa All Women’s Camp (3 days)

September 20

Noosa Triathlon One Day Clinic Noosa tri course recon and all things Noosa tri.

‘Make this season your best with MSC Sport coaching services.

Programs tailored to your needs, sent weekly, working to your goals and specific to your available time to train and keeping it real while making the most of that time’.

All programming by MSC Coaches Nick Croft & Jessica Fleming

For further details www.mscsport.com.au or call 0407 136 215 or 0438 370 246

Australian Triathlete |

45

© Delly Carr

SEXTON’S

Scribble...

Brendan Sexton

The Grand Plan

There is no substitute for good planning, whatever journey you’re on.

Brendan Sexton shares his wisdom.

I

’m no motivational speaker, psychologist, self-made millionaire or spiritual guru so I’m not really one to claim expertise on being successful in life. I guess the discussion of what one deems as ‘success’ should be brought up and I’ve got a tempo run this afternoon so I’m not overly fussed at the idea of hurting my brain pursuing social debate. In my time I have detected (or had rammed down my throat by way of motivational quotes regurgitated through various social media channels) two things that I claim as constants. The first is that there is no single secret to success. And I, with my 29 years of sheltered time on this earth, believe this is probably true - at least in triathlon. The second constant belief in my life is that planning is good.

I had the opportunity as a youngster to start upon a structured pathway that led green-limbed novice juniors like myself right through to an international elite level. In Australia (as well as many other top performing triathlon nations) there are programs designed specifically to source, recruit, educate, nurture and develop young athletes into world-class short course triathletes. I personally cannot overstate the importance of my inclusion in such a program in my eventual success as a professional athlete. I was brought together with peers to train, compete and mix with, supplied equipment that I otherwise would not have had access to and provided with funding to assist my development (and my parents pockets) – all of which were extremely valuable elements at the time.

There was one other element I was provided with that I now see made the biggest impact on my life as an athlete and as a member of society.

That was information and education. I was in daily contact with an assortment of folk who were experts in their fields: coaches, physiologists, psychologists, mechanics, biomechanics and (arguably the most influential at the time to a star-struck 17-year-old) real life pro athletes. I was training at times but I was

46

| Australian Triathlete

learning constantly. Absorbing through direct education, observation and experience. I learnt things that I used and have since discarded but there was so much more that I absorbed that I still use constantly everyday in all manner of situations.

One of the skills I picked up was planning.

Sounds ridiculous hearing that now, but I can clearly recall a time when an adolescent Brendan would breeze session-to-session, day-to-day with little foresight or concern of what was ahead. This happy-go-lucky approach to triathlon and life alike is almost unfathomable to me today. When 2015 Brendan thinks triathlon he contemplates the future envisioning where he wants to be and what he wants to achieve. Then it’s a matter of forming the many steps that will lead from the present towards that point. From the big picture plans (for me, the Olympics; for another, perhaps finishing a sprint triathlon) right down to the trivial aspects of my life (ensuring a good stock of espresso in the house leading into a big block of training), almost everything is consciously considered and mapped out ahead. Training plans and cycles must work in with competition schedules, travel and accommodation organised months earlier, race entries, bike components and spares prepared for a season of travel.

To me now, it’s a given that if I want to achieve something worthwhile I know that I will be required to work hard. It is just as obvious that I won’t gain said achievements, regardless of effort, by working blindly with no resolute vision of the next step - or next one hundred steps. However, I do realise that some triathletes who haven’t been privy to the years of education

and experience that I have may not understand or appreciate the value of planning when it comes to getting the most out of triathlon.

Planning will provide any triathlete, of any level, a more wholesome experience from their triathlon adventures through any combination of knowledge, ownership and satisfaction.

Knowledge and insight will be gained when an athlete has a plan and begins to understand their own manner of conditioning and adaption to training. Through trial and error within a plan, an athlete will be able to form a vivid understanding of their physicality, and set and reset their limitations which otherwise may not have been known. Through developing knowledge of one’s self comes a greater control and ownership of an athlete’s own future. When an athlete can see their potential projected in planning, motivation and determination tends to present stronger and more often. From greater motivation comes progression. Achieving goals is satisfying and can become addictive. A plan is merely a series of goals that build towards a single summit goal. Set a plan, follow that plan and get hooked on dominating that plan.

The more steps within a plan (specific targets – every stroke, pedal and step if need be) the more frequent the victory.

The bottom line is if you’re going to participate in triathlon you’ve already embarked upon a journey. The route you take upon that journey is completely up to you - whether it’s a direct, short and uncomplicated stroll or a thoroughly itinerised expedition with plenty of pit stops. Just make sure you pack some sort of map!

Brendan Sexton As a youngster, Brendan’s life ambition was to be the fifth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. That didn’t quite pan out.

But triathlon did. A decade on, he’s still at it. www.brendansexton.com.au Twitter: @kung_fu_sexton

© Delly Carr

/// vox pops

Sliding Doors If you weren’t a professional triathlete what would you be doing now?

© AT

radka vodickova Many years ago I studied one year medical school to be a nurse/midwife. This is what I wanted to do, as I like children.

I didn’t continue to study because it wasn’t possible to do sport at a professional level and continue to practice in hospital.

I am also interested in the human body or I was also thinking of becoming a physiotherapist – I love the feeling when you can help someone to feel good/better again.

Mel Hauschildt

© Korupt Vision

If I wasn’t a pro triathlete I reckon I’d have my own practice doing remedial massage, dry needling and naturopathy. And Jared might be doing physio in my practice. I’m soooo glad that isn’t the case though, lol.

© Delly Carr

Brad Kahlefeldt If I wasn’t a professional triathlete, I probably try playing AFL. I grew up playing it around Wagga.

Outside of that, I would say something to do with travel and sport tours and training/coaching around the world.

48

| Australian Triathlete

Charlotte McShane If I wasn’t a pro triathlete I think I’d be working in the fitness industry maybe a personal trainer or something. I’d definitely want to do something where I could keep fit & work for myself!

///vox pops

© Challenge Wanaka / Getty Images

© Korupt Vision

Polly Hendy I studied sports therapy at uni, but especially enjoyed the sports massage element. I was doing this up until about a year ago but trying to massage three clients and then go and do a quality 5km swim set was pretty impossible. Kudos to any therapists out there who manage it.

© AT

© Korupt Vision

Laura Siddall © Delly Carr © AT

Brad Wauer Since I have a university degree in Civil Aviation I would hope to be a Commercial Pilot.

But since I have a love for health and fitness I would most likely be at my current work place, The Running Company Adelaide.

I’d like to think I’d be an athlete of some sort…maybe having stuck with the 800m on the track, or even now playing netball for one of the Aussie Super League teams. Or I would be the owner of a really fab little cafe at Bondi, serving awesome coffee and amazing food, nothing fancy just good healthy grub. A place where friends could hang out and catch up (and definitely not a typical Bondi hipster place, just a good local place) - obviously I wouldn’t work there, but I’d just be hanging out myself and overseeing things and drinking coffee with everyone! Sadly I think it would probably be very boring and that I’d be working as a mechanical engineer or business improvement/process improvement specialist.

Liz Blatchford A marine biologist or a school teacher

Paul Ambrose

© Delly Carr

Probably a carpenter as I like to work with my hands.

Gina Crawford I would be playing my violin as an orchestral musician, and teaching the violin. © Delly Carr Australian Triathlete |

49

‘A Concert of Cricket’

O

ur seven hour drive to IM South Africa coincided with the semi-final of the Cricket World Cup. Unbeknown to me, my usually ‘indifferent when it comes to team-sports boyfriend’ suddenly developed a strong and highly invested passion for cricket. He decided that we absolutely must listen to it on the radio. Outwardly, after a few standardly British protests, I resolved to tolerate this very weird and very boring decision. ‘Sacrifice one for the team’ I thought, but inwardly I was terrified for my sanity. I am a person that thinks that ‘talking books’ are unendurable.

I tried to sleep, unwilling to battle the nausea I seem to feel when bored to the bone. Ten minutes later I realised that it wasn’t boredom I was battling, it was intrigue. My stubborn resolve to hate cricket had been replaced by emotional investment and genuine excitement.

I was being educated in cricket in spite of myself.

I learnt about personalities, about history, bowling statistics, about overs, wickets, test matches - I learnt it all. The eloquent, accurate commentary excellently partnered adjectives around tone, speed and volume to build drama and suspense. I was hearing a showpiece, a ‘concert of cricket’.

It remains unfathomable to me that elite long distance triathlon repetitively fails to replicate that communication of passion and spectacle of drama. You wait, you worry, you feel real-time anxiety but see no real-time action. It is as if a static T1 camera can wipe away all communication of suspense, interaction, accuracy and enjoyment in one fell swoop.

It’s not as if I haven’t learnt patience. I’m fully ‘third-worldisised’ when it comes to bandwidth and internet lag - South African buffering takes hours not seconds. It is just a no-go for sports viewing, sports action being the antithesis to patience. It has to be spontaneous and immediate. Elite sport is all about detail —

50

| Australian Triathlete

whether it is 9.63 seconds of an Olympic 100m final or six hours of a Tour De France stage. It’s the milliseconds that matter - the facial strain, the muscle falter, the ‘look’ from athlete to athlete. It can’t be suspended in a buffer. Once delayed it’s just recorded history with a result.

Worse than a stationary camera is the promise of a live feed that never materialises. I only need to mention the 2014 Ironman 70.3 World Championships. It’s the world champs the height of sporting drama - the elite of the

elite drawing swords in a beautiful, stoic venue.

Gomez racing Froderno; Don; Kienle, Bozzone.

Ryf racing Swallow; Fredrickson, Wurtele, Hauschildt. It’s a goldmine of Champions.

It had epic potential…

Coverage was an epic fail.

When I was told that nobody had been able to follow the race I felt utterly deflated. I actually felt let down. It wasn’t just disappointment for the fans; it was the lost opportunity to showcase that particular race. It had been the single most invigorating spectacle I have ever had the privilege to partake in — now it had been lost in history forever - a ‘no show’ show for fans, sponsors and spectators. There was a

“I would like to see a higher level of journalism and a quality broadcast that captures better the inspiration, prowess and spectacle that long distance triathlon possesses..” — Jodie Swallow © Shutterstock.com/ Deymos.HR

Jodie Swallow Jodie Swallow is a world champion, Ironman champion and Olympian. Not one to shy away from an uncomfortable but necessary conversation, Jodie Swallow is guaranteed to keep you thinking. Follow her at www.ifollowtheswallow.co.uk

Jodie Swallow highlights programme a month on. It was somewhat predictable in result.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Fans were pissed, athletes were mad and that disappointment was voiced publicly and en masse.

The issue of triathlon broadcast hit the spotlight.

The worldwide interest in the professional race could no longer be ignored. Up stepped Challenge Family and the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Challenge Bahrain got its media broadcast so right in many ways.

Live rolling coverage of both the men and women’s races. Articulate commentary from current athletes offering insight and background on each contender. Accurate timing updates, aerial shooting that showcased the sights of a country that had made massive investment into the sport.

There was also a marked increase in media interest at Bahrain. There were more interviews,

shoots, press conferences, pre-race build up and post-race reaction. The pioneers of triathlon media were there - transcribing race reports, probing into personalities, dishing dirt and building backgrounds. Everybody won - the spectators, the country of Bahrain, sponsors, athletes, fans - the entire sport.

It wasn’t rocket science. The ITU have been following a similar formula for years great live coverage which can be tapped into by main screen media if popularity requires.

The ITU delivered coverage before the British public interest was captured by those two Northern blokes. The product was already ready to be bought by the BBC when they came knocking.

If ‘competition breeds excellence’ then long distance triathlon is in a healthy place. The rivalry for exposure and sales between Challenge and Ironman should logically see them pushing the prowess of their professionals which, unlike the participant numbers which approach the ceiling of growth - is under-utilised in sponsorship investment and broadcast potential.

Whether change is in reaction to potential revenue generation or for the more noble good of the elite sport, matters little.

There has been positive change.

The refinement of five quality Ironman continental championships, with a heightened points structure, more prize money and greater prestige, brings depth to competitive fields and pits the stars of the sport against one another, outside of Kona.

Whilst not yet a ‘Formula One’ type ranking series (like the ITU World Series offers), the continuity of standard and quality is moving in that direction: an elite level of race, attracting the best of the best, worthy of coverage and a guaranteed showcase for our sport.

The standardisation of professional rules and provision for a fair and separate women’s race provides an potential example for all sport, offering a positive equality statement to viewers — a welcome opposition to the status quo of current sports broadcast.

The installation of athlete GPS tracking and the guarantee of live, quality coverage with able commentary experts like Paula Newby Fraser, Chris McCormack and Emma Snowsill, each with current ’behind the scenes’ insight and whom are capable of relevant, interesting and educational discussion. People tell me it was actually exciting to follow Ironman South Africa this year. The only anxiety felt was race related. This from deepest, darkest Africa!

One of the most famous annual broadcasts of Ironman is the NBC highlights show from Kona (metaphorically from Kona). It may win awards and it may be a great ‘special interest’ piece but it doesn’t showcase the excellence of performance that our sport is alive with.

The hour-long show sacrifices the spontaneity that we savour in live sport. Its brevity tempers the incredible endurance feats of both elite racing and inspirational age group racers. Accuracy and detail is sacrificed for storytelling and dramatisation. The Ironman world champs portrayed as a fringe sport, a participation challenge.

Our elite sport is not a challenge to simply complete. It is not an expedition nor a demonstration sport. It is elite to the very core.

By writing this I may be chastised for challenging tradition. I believe that there is a time and a place for nostalgia and inclusion.

Change is needed to push an already elite sport into higher echelons of recognition.

My hope is that by next October the world gets to see Ironman crown the true ‘Fittest People On Earth’ in Kona. I would like to see a higher level of journalism and a quality broadcast that captures better the inspiration, prowess and spectacle that long distance triathlon possesses.

Our sport has been missing a trick here, developmentally and commercially.

Only time will tell if there is enough aptitude, patience and vision to make the investment to coverage that is needed to reap long-term rewards for the sport of triathlon.

After all, I’d watch it any day of the week.

But then again, I apparently like aural cricket!

Australian Triathlete |

51

52

| Australian Triathlete

Brings you

IMAGE OF THE

MONTH photo: Korupt vision Capturing the beautiful sunset at the famous Busselton Jetty ahead of Ironman 70.3 Busselton 2015.

Australian Triathlete |

53

Brought to you by

/// Training Long course

LC

SWIM

Jacqui Slack Instagram: jacqui220tri Facebook: jacqui.slack.7 Web: jacquislack.com Twitter: jacquislack

Supplied

Favou rite Pre race meal?

Ch ick en br east with wh ite rice and pesTo

Quick Stat!

i ng b ecom Be for e a r r a pro Xte d to use l ete I r tr iath te h ig ef be a fi r

Top Tips (1)

(2)

(3)

e Swim for a shorter time but mor the water. of feel the keep you so regularly you really nail a On your recovery swims ensure your weaknesses. good technique and focus on ss to a pool, dry If travelling and can’t get acce nt. It helps with land and core work is importa and that’s what er wat body positioning in the oth. smo makes your swim

jacqui’s Favourite swim session Warm up: 300m Swim 200m drills with fins – 50m Popov, 25m kick left side/25m kick right side – repeat 4 x 50m swim +20 secs – Swim Golf REPEAT Main Set: 200m CSS pace off 3.00 and then 50m MAX off 60 Repeat 3 times 150m CSS pace off 2.20 and then 50m MAX off 60 Repeat 3 times 100m CSS pace off 1.40 and then 50m MAX off 60 Repeat 3 times Twice through Warm down: 200m easy swim stroke of choice

54

| Australian Triathlete

/// Training short course

SWIM

SC

Ryan Fisher Instagram: ryanfisher20 Facebook: ryan.fisher91 Twitter: ryanfisher20

Quick Stat!

ryan’s Favourite swim session Main Set: 400m

k g et b ac m ent I r o e m b e h T Octo u rope in ga in f rom E uy b a r I’ m th is ye Iron Dav ison ey l r Ha e! ik b r 833 moto

100 above race pace 300m race pace 2 x 100 above race pace 200m race pace

Top Tips

3 x 100 above race pace 100m race pace 4 x 100 above race pace Supplied

(1) (2)

ition themselves in a good pos m for most people is to put the of One er.

The main goal in the swi wat the in lves hout over expending themse ability ter bet for the rest of the race wit htly slig or ilar is to find a swimmer of sim best ways to save energy e to pull the water they are ir hip so that you continu the on to and position yourself rgy, which will allow you save a huge amount of ene already moving. This can exit the water fresher. a are; it can be rough and y is most triathletes nightm the to get you Going around a swim buo ore bef just ath ice is to take your last bre until you ing slow process. My best adv ath bre t hou wit t fron feet of the swimmer in ch buoy and then follow the r tail end submerges whi t with your head up, you sigh you get around. When to swim up onto you. allows swimmers behind r s the blood flowing in you final 100m of the swim get ful. pain less Increasing your kick in the e littl a r bike run from the water to you legs, which then makes the

(3)

Favou rite Pr e race meal? h neve r r etty muc p l , a e m ce h Nute ll a My pr e r a r ead wit b ite h yte w rol f rom m e e lect cha nges ar a nd so b r powe in k . half a sports dr

Australian Triathlete |

55

Brought to you by

LC

BIKE

Renee Baker

Instagram: renee__baker Facebook: Renee-Baker-Professional-Triathlete Web: www.reneebaker.com.au Twitter: renee___baker

© Korupt Vision

Favou rite Pre race meal?

Top Tips (1)

(2) (3)

The night before I always stick to the same thing. Chicken and sweet potato salad followed by a milo with 10 scoops mini mum.

Races are the best training. in race position ie. in the Practice completing intervals groups within a range of cle mus aerotuck! This recruits day. motion that is identical to race and some alongside a Mix up your rides – do some solo buddy or in a group.

Renee’s Favourite bike session Main Set:

Quick Stat!

as job wa s y f ir st r e v y My fa ir ate a n d th e p ir ost at h ty ay pa r d h t ir b Jac k s!

Hung ry

My favourite session is Thursday morning intervals with Brad Hall and his elite girls (a mix of road cyclists and triathletes). The session varies from motor pacing to TT efforts to hill repeats.

We have a great group of girls that have similar goals in different sports. It’s a refreshing change! This session aims to replicate the demands of my discipline; time trialing at intensities above my race pace.

6 x 5 mins @ 250 watts 2 mins easy 10 x 1 min @ 300 watts 1 min easy Short, sharp and very effective

56

| Australian Triathlete

BIKE

SC

Caleb Noble Instagram: caleb.noble Facebook: caleb.noble.75 Web: calebnobletriathlete.weebly.com Twitter: calebnoblec

Caleb’s Favourite bike session Session: Hill strength session 6x4mins (4x low cadence gear (55-65 RPM) and 2x race pace cadence/speed) all seated in saddle on a long hill. After each rep uphill, turn around and roll back to the start and go again. If you need, take a 30 second to one minute rest after each rep.

This session is designed to build strength by incorporating low cadence gear work (roughly 55-65 RPM). By staying seated in saddle and keeping the upper body still and in control, you are engaging the core and strengthening the legs.

2x race pace cadence is designed to allow your legs to get familiar with the race cadence while getting strength in the legs on the uphill and creating leg strength for the run off the bike.

Quick Stat!

a l l coun th e s m in , up W S I g r ew m a in N of Ga n try town ly 55 te a im a pp rox m r es f ro k il om et . a g g a W Wa g g a

© Delly Carr

Favou rite Pr e race meal?

a de Hom e-m ognase l o b i spagh ett

(1)

Top Tips Stay controlled in the upper body while seated doing hill reps.

Don’t move side to side or bounce up and down!

Book in for a bike fit if you haven’t already. This will help you (2) achiev e a more efficient riding technique. while doing seated reps and maintaining (3) strength cadencgear e.

Find the right

Australian Triathlete |

57

Brought to you by

LC RUN

Callum Millward Instagram: callummillward Facebook: callum.millward.5 Web: www.callummillward.com Twitter: callummillward

© AJ Tri

Favou r itea l? me Pr e r ace h ing. d b e a nyt ng e d l wou eal ve ra r ace m d eals ha ite p r e on a b e h and m c on a m m Favou r l a s sto ic r on e nt g ir a n bu r Atl I h av e a c aug ht c h ic k en r es h ly a c r ispy a l ds . to , f rom f ine r ice f rom McDon of ja s m com bo

As you start the run leg of an iron-distance event, try to forget that you have a marathon in front of you. If after 15 kilometres reality is starting to set in, along with blisters and heat stroke, get back to the basics, focus on your nutrition and hydration plan. Forget about Strava Steve who has taken off like he’s been shot out of a cannon; you’ll see him at the 19 kilometre special needs aid station scouring run bags for sugary drinks and a new set of run legs. The marathon is long and really is a test against yourself. You really need to stick to your own pacing, because it’s a slippery slope once you spend too much time above your race pace. I would recommend running in a new pair of socks and shoes, both which have been lightly worn in to avoid blistering. It’s also nice to have a fresh pair of sunglasses in T2 to wear for the run. Get comfortable being uncomfortable because the back half of the marathon is tough for everyone.

Top Tips

Callum’s Favourite Run session

Quick Stat!

on a Youes k a ew pros i v r upc C led I i nte su r e ow ca l tu b e s ha l . I m sti l l not here w r w ith C m e a bout no een a b a c se how it e a de d, but its s howcai z its h .L for m to t es a i l it p l t a gr ea pe r son b a n d, G l en ath l etes r d’s h us o f i s ion) h B l atc r ay (Kor upt V , a n d des Mu r h e ep i so f i l m s t v e a lot of f un . a we h e ath l etes w ith th

Session: For this session, target race pace was 3:48k pace or 6:10mile pace. So the faster miles were at 6min/mile pace, and the mile recovery was 7min/ mile pace. It’s a long hard session but great to get the body conditioned to running a marathon. I used a Fuelbelt, race shoes and race day nutrition to simulate the day.

Warm Up: 2mile (3.2 km) Main Set: 1.6 km 10s faster than race pace/1.6km 1min slower than race pace 3.2km 10s faster than race pace/3.2km 1min slower than race pace 4.8km 10s faster than race pace/4.8km 1min slower than race pace 4.8km 10s faster than race pace/4.8km 1min slower than race pace 3.2km 10s faster than race pace/3.2km 1min slower than race pace 1.6km 10s faster than race pace/1.6km 1min slower than race pace

58

| Australian Triathlete

RUN

SC

Paula Findlay Instagram: paula_findlay Facebook: paula.findlay.triathlon Web: paulafindlay.ca Twitter: paulafindlay

Paula’s Favourite Run session Session: My fav run set is a build run, a 60-minute block building every 15 minutes, so starting at a comfortable but strong pace, and hanging on for dear life at the end! These sessions are really tough but they make me strong and fit.

© Delly Carr

Quick Stat!

, d B a l let I da nce ja z z for ta p a n d be for e s 15ye a r i ng a becom ete l tr i ath

Favou r ite l?

Pr e r ace m ea

a potato a n d sweet , en k e l ic b h C g, but r e l ia sa l a d. Bor in ea sy! and

Top Tips

(1)

(2)

(3)

GPS if I’m wearing a ed with my pace ss se ob t . ge sy ea to rmin. I tend s me keep it atch, which let ns without a Ga Do your easy ru with just a stopw ns ru ry ve co hard, re my easy en I’m running watch, so I’ll do my shoulders wh in e ns . te id t flu ge e I sometimes easier and mor r body relaxed. es running feel ak m y all tu Keep your uppe ac s my arm if I’m myself to relax sier on my body but reminding find that it’s ea I . ns ru sy ea e, even on g a high cadenc Work on keepin . ps light ste taking quicker, Australian Triathlete |

59

/// QANDr.A

QANDrA.

Episode one t e x t b y D r . Mit c h A n d e r s o n | I l l us t r a t i o n b y s h u tt e r s t o c k . c o m / Ni k o l a K n e z e vi c

I

t’s taken months of planning and thirteen years of health science training, but I’m ready for the challenge. Welcome to a whole era for Australian Triathlete magazine.

QANDrA- Questions Answers Dr Anderson. My concept for up and coming articles is to let you guide what I’m going to write about in each edition. In my mind we might get some silly Danny Katz type questions, along the spectrum all the way to some Dolly Doctor.

You can tweet me (@DrMitcha), Insta me a picture (@Drmitcha) or send me a question on email (mitch@shinbonemedical.com). Then you’ll be the star of the next edition and have that old bug-bear question off your chest. Whatever you want to ask, be fearless- I have some golden rules when it comes to answering questions:

60

| Australian Triathlete

1. There’s no such thing as a stupid question 2. It’s never ok to laugh at someone’s genitalia, no matter how funny it looks.

I won’t even laugh in private at what I’ve seen and heard- this is your 100% beneficence and non-maleficence guarantee. It’s something we take seriously in the medical world…laughing at someone’s junk, that is.

So because this is the first QANDrA I had to solicit my own questions from some of my triathlete friends, who have consented to being fodder for my first episode.

1.

Question One: Julie “It’s started to get cold and it’s now off-season- why am I so hungry and how can I avoid putting on weight?”

It’s difficult at this time of year Julie! It’s a throw back to Neanderthal man and what’s known as the ‘thrifty phenotype’. We’re programmed subconsciously to eat a little more as the temperature drops (especially when food is available in abundance), so we can insulate our bodies more as winter approaches.

Unfortunately, pretty much all of us are already insulated enough!

Just being aware of this fact can help you with a mindset of trying to be left with a lingering, nagging amount of hunger at the end of each meal, rather than completely sate yourself. There’s no clear evidence that timing of calories plays any role in how much fat you put on- it’s all related to how many. So try a strategy to eat your vegetables and meat first in an evening meal, have a glass of water, then put some carbohydrate (rice/pasta/potato, etc) into the system. This will allow you to reduce your calorie load for the day and keep close (-er!) to race weight over winter.

/// QANDr.A

2.

Question Two: Andrew “I’ve got a lump in my undercarriage that is painful and won’t go away.

Should I squeeze it or lance it?”

This is going to happen to most if not all triathletes at some point in their triathlon career- a saddle sore. It’s an irritation of the perineum (otherwise known as the piece of skin that your saddle pushes on!) that is most likely a form of pressure response, which may or may not include an infection.

The pressure and firmness of cycling saddles can cause the subcutanenous tissue to fibrose and proliferate in response. And all that technical jargon means is a small patch of sub-skin gets angry and this causes a reaction in the surrounding tissues. Similarly, a small infection (hair follicle, pimple) may be the genesis of this response. These happen particularly when you’re starting or when you increase your volume by a large amount. There’s sweat and ….well, I don’t need to go into more details.

My advice is to ignore it (or try to) and it should resolve spontaneously. Take a couple of days away from cycling. If you can visualise a hair or there’s a pus-filled head on the lump then you may be able to clear the hair or pus by applying some gentle squeezing or lancing. Care must be taken to avoid high pressure- you don’t want to tear the skin and cause a serious infection. Professional cyclists have been known to need operations for this problem. So if it’s persistent, get along to see your doctor for some professional advice.

Keeping the skin clean and lubricated can help prevent saddle sores, as well as treating your cycling knicks with care and cleanliness.

Make sure the pad or chamoix gets plenty of sunshine to kill any bacteria. There is a difference in chamoix quality according to price (to a degree) and gender specificity- so make sure you have the right one!

3.

Question Three: Frank “I’m a newby triathlete and have just started shaving my legs- I’ve come up with a strange rash all over my legs, what have I done?!”

I think you may have follicultis Frank- that’s an irritation of the follicles of the otherwise known as where your hair exits the skin! It can be caused by any number of reasons- infection, blockage, irritation or rarer skin diseases.

This can happen in people with sensitive skin and it’s a form of shaving rash. The shaver can usual temper the fierce response of his/her skin by moisturising prior to the shave and using some hair clippers to minimise the length of the hairs to be cut. Less hair means less pressure on the razor, which can spare the skin from a severe exfoliation! If you have persistent problems with

shaving, wait three months for the skin and follicles to settle, then try with a lady’s razorthey’re designed for the job!

To minimise the risk of infection, make sure your skin is clean prior to the shave. Using some soap as the cleaning agent, but then shaving cream as the lubricant is the best way to have a clean and safe shave of the legs. Try not to swim immediately after you shave and avoid spas- these are ripe with bacteria and your skin is at it’s most vulnerable at this time.

With all of these questions, if you have a persistent problem- go and see your local GP. They’re a wealth of knowledge and can direct you to a specialist if required. Looking forward to hearing your questions for episode two of QANDrA: @drmitcha (twitter/ insta) and mitch@shinbonemedical.com Thanks Frank, Julie and Andrew for their first up questions.

mitch@shinbonemedical.com @DrMitcha

@Drmitcha

Australian Triathlete |

61

/// Performance Brought to you by:

How do I run

Faster?

Take your running to a whole new level with

professional triathlete and champion coach, Tim Reed.

text by Tim Reed | p h o t o g r a p h y b y d e l l y c a r r a n d s h u tt e r s t o c k . c o m

F

irst article in Australian Triathlete and you probably hoped for something a little more deep and scientific. However, I hope to answer some questions I get thrown all the time and this is near the top of the list. People that know me understand that I struggle to cough up a quick one-line answer for anything, particularly running. Unless I know the athlete, their current training, training history, injury rate and many other factors then it’s impossible to hand out a quick run fix. At least now I can make up for avoiding the question in the past by explaining why I don’t know. I hope to provide some information to help you narrow down your possible running limiters to help come up with the best solution to take your running to a new level.

OUR Genetics I’ve got to hit this on the head straight up.

‘Anything is possible’ is the feel good fuzzy message that maybe your mum, a teacher or even a popular triathlon event company may have pushed into your psyche. My mission on earth is to spread the

62

| Australian Triathlete

earth shattering news that ‘not everything is possible’. Some really amazing achievements are but not anything. In fact, everyone’s biggest limiting factor with running performance is likely genetics. Your biomechanics and your maximal aerobic capacity are not fixed but there is a limited range within the parameters you were born with.

Don’t hang up the Sauconys just yet (invoice sent). The good news is that you can still drastically change a lot of factors that are far less fixed such as: sub-maximal aerobic capacity, muscular conditioning, race weight, metabolic efficiency and more, to get the absolute most out of the genetic curse or gift your parents handed down to you.

As the old saying goes, ‘shoot for the moon, at least you’ll come back to reality and know that you gave it a crack’. Or something like that…

Aerobic Efficiency For the vast majority of runners starting out – and even athletes several years into their running addiction – aerobic efficiency tends to be where athletes can gain the most improvement for their training time. One of the reasons it seems to take anywhere from seven to15 years before

© Shutterstock.com / Mel-nik

professionals and amateurs reach their athletic endurance peak is that their aerobic efficiency at sub-maximal paces can improve for years upon years before it starts to plateau. This moderate intensity training typically refers to 75-90% of lactate threshold and allows a whole host of reported benefits including: -- An increase in the size and density of the mitochondria, increasing the efficiency of muscles receiving and returning oxygenated/ deoxygenated blood -- An improvement in the production of enzymes that break down fatty acids for fuel -- Allowing a more gradual conditioning of the muscles to the requirements of running, reducing the chance of injury The analogy of the cake is overused but it works so put yourself in the body of a tubby cake lover for just a moment. The base of your cake is

/// Performance

the aerobic endurance training, while the icing is the speed work. Someone offers just the base of the cake or just the icing. You start sobbing because you really love the whole cake but you’re so hungry you take the base because it means you get 90 per cent of the cake instead of just 10 per cent. While the percentages could be argued, aerobic endurance training versus speed training for distance running is much the same. You may be able to take your 80 per cent of lactate threshold pace from five minutes per kilometre to four minutes and 15 seconds per kilometre. That’s an enormous chunk of cake. Speed training might typically allow a 10-20 second per km improvement – significant but not as enormous.

So if you haven’t spent years building your aerobic efficiency, slow down, be patient and make sure you’ve logged the aerobic kilometres month on month, year on year before becoming frustrated with stagnated run performances.

Muscular Strength Endurance Triathlon running is very different to fresh running. Notice that many of the world’s best runners have legs that look like you could snap them between two fingers. In contrast, the world’s best triathletes (more so in longer course events) are getting serious thigh rub from oversized quadriceps and hamstrings wrestling over the precious space between the legs.

Triathletes tend to need more muscle bulk to both

Don’t get to fixated on achieving a certain number of kilometres per week. ride effectively and have the resilience to run after riding for 20-180 kilometres.

If you’re an athlete that floats along during running events in a very tidy time but then runs like a drunkard in triathlons, my suggestion would be that you need to improve your cycling and running off the bike, more so than your running alone.

Improve your cycling and your running prowess can shine through the cycling-induced fatigue.

If you ride well, but experience that sensation in the legs, like someone is jabbing glass into your quads every time they hit the ground, it is likely that you need to condition your leg muscles to the repetitive impact of running. I often see this among athletes who train in very cushioned trainers and then race in far more responsive race flats. Their legs are not conditioned to the impact experienced when wearing the more minimal shoes. If your legs are really stinging, it doesn’t

© Shutterstock.com / ostill

matter how aerobically fit you are - the human brain is very determined to stop an individual from doing serious damage and the brain will convince the athlete to slow down. There are a number of options to try here, depending on your propensity for injury: -- More running -- More running in your race shoes -- Running on a harder surface -- Downhill running intervals (offers big benefits but also significantly increases risk of injury) -- Plyometrics (great for those who don’t have the time to do any more running) *Disclaimer – All of the above can lead to injury if not gradually introduced correctly.

Metabolic efficiency Yeppoon Half Ironman 2009 - may that race rest in peace - was my second time dipping my toe outside of age group racing. I was seven kilometres into the half marathon and running very easily with a minute lead on the rest of the field. I started planning my winning speech when I was slapped into submission by my absolute dependence on carbohydrates. I felt like I’d been hit by a truck.

My world was spinning and I was a complete mess. I’d ‘hit the wall’ that so many marathoners and triathletes had talked about. I was totally depleted of muscle glycogen and, due to my carbohydrate dominant diet, was so inefficient at utilising my own fat stores to provide energy that I was quickly swallowed up and spat out when glycogen levels ran low.

If you’re regularly hitting the wall in sessions or races – and even for if you’re not – there

Australian Triathlete |

63

/// Performance Brought to you by:

EASY DOES IT NOW RUNNING WITH MODERATION SEEMS TO WORK FOR SAM APPLETON AS HE HOLDS 2ND PLACE BEHIND CROWIE AT THE RECENT GEELONG 70.3 IN FEBRUARY

could be huge performance benefits by becoming more metabolically efficient. Becoming more proficient at utilising your body’s fat stores for fuel will allow you to use less stored glycogen at sub-maximal intensities and should extend your optimal race intensity while the carbs you do consume can go a lot further.

A very gradual change in your day to day diet to minimising processed carbohydrates, possibly lowering even quality carbohydrate sources depending on your current intake or changing the timing of your carbohydrate intake can really change the ratio of carbs to fat you’re burning at race intensity or lower.

Pacing You’re riding or running too hard! More often than not, this is a testosterone filled male problem where dudes think that because they can run their one kilometre repeats at three minute 10 second per kilometre then that should equate to their half marathon pace off the bike.

That strategy rarely (if ever!) works out. Instead, slow down and build into the run. If it feels comfortable in the first kilometre then you’re probably going at the right pace. I give my athletes a moderated race simulation four to six weeks out from an event as much for the physiological benefits as for pacing benefits.

Athletes can test their goal pace and get a very real idea of whether that pace is sustainable.

It’s a very similar tale for cycling. Five to 10 minutes slower in your bike split could equal double that in time saved over the run leg.

If you train with power, suitable pacing can reliably be determined by seeing what percentage of your FTP (functional threshold power) you’re sustaining throughout your ride in races and adjusting to a more appropriate percentage if needed.

Body weight Body weight and running, it’s the elephant in the room that people like to dance around. Simple reality is that body weight and run performance are very closely tied. Thankfully for triathletes optimal running body weight, which is normally quite an unhealthy weight, is unlikely to be your

64

| Australian Triathlete

© Delly Carr

best triathlon body weight. Swimming and time trial cycling tend to suffer when people drop their weight too far. In general the consensus seems to be that if you’re eating healthily and adequately, and training suitably, your body will gradually get to the right body weight. For those that want to experiment with getting a little lighter for events, I personally recommend keeping a little weight on during your heaviest training phase and then losing that weight as you begin freshening up for an event. This way your immune system is not as compromised.

Injuries Too often I see athletes fixated on achieving a certain number of kilometres per week and yet spending months of every year recovering from injuries and doing little to no running during those periods. I’ll use Sam Appleton as a good example. I soon realised that whenever I pushed his run milage too far he would end up with niggling injuries and would spend days or weeks without running. Moderation equalled much greater consistency, which is why consistency in my mind, is crucial to continual athletic progression. Many other professionals would laugh at Sam’s weekly mileage, yet if you add up his annual mileage it’s actually above many pros who spend weeks or months a year recovering from injuries.

Once again, there are no quick solutions to reaching your potential in triathlon. If less mileage keeps you running more consistently then implement less milage.

Of course running might not be the underlying cause of your injuries. Strength imbalances and flexibility (too much or too little) may be the issue. If you’re getting injured a lot and not regularly in the gym then I would seriously consider it. Even a 20-minute session a couple of times a week could drastically reduce your injury rate. Less injuries, great consistency, faster running.

To wrap up, accept and set realistic goals based on your genetics. Build your aerobic efficiency and then build it some more. Clean up your diet to improve your energy levels throughout the run and to get to a leaner triathlon weight.

Learn how to pace your running and be consistent by minimising your risk of injury.

Tim Reed After flirting with triathlon at university in an attempt to keep his impending beer belly at bay, Tim Reed got more serious about the sport in 2007 when he realised he could make a living from it. These days he balances coaching with competing.

†

SAVE $15.50

†

OFF RRP

$

†

$

**Cenovis Propolis 1000 365 Capsules †

699 ea

$

**Bioglan Throat-Clear Original or Honey & Lemon 20 Pastilles

†

SAVE $4.26

5999 ea

**Thompson’s One A Day Grape Seed 19000 120 Tablets †

1569 ea

1339ea

$

**Cenovis Garlic and Horseradish + C Complex 120 Capsules

**Cenovis Olive Leaf 3000mg 60 Capsules

899ea

**Healthy Care Super Lysine Cold Sore Relief 1000mg 100 Tablets †

SAVE $8.96

SAVE $1.00 OFF RRP

$

SAVE $6.00 OFF RRP

OFF RRP

$

OFF RRP

OFF RRP

$

SAVE $23.96

SAVE $2.30

†

OFF RRP

1999ea

†

$

**Healthy Care Vitamin C 500mg 500 Chewable Tablets

SAVE $9.00

SAVE $1.96 OFF RRP

2099ea

OFF RRP

$

†

OFF RRP

2599ea

**Wagner Probiotica P50 30 Capsules

SAVE $4.00

$

2099ea

1899ea

**Centrum Advance Advance 100 Tablets †

SAVE $6.00 OFF RRP

$

**Bioglan Superfoods Coconut Oil 100 Capsules, Maca, Kale or Beetroot 100 Tablets

SHOP ONLINE

24 / 7

CHEMISTWAREHOUSE.COM.AU

1899ea

**Centrum Advance 50+ 100 Tablets

1300 734 876

FOR YOUR NEAREST STORE CALL:

*Your pharmacist will advise you whether the preparation is suitable for your condition. Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist, see your Healthcare Professional. **Vitamins may only be of assistance if your dietary intake is inadequate. The pharmacist reserves the right not to supply when contrary to our professional and ethical obligation. Retail quantities only. Limits apply. †RRP – Recommended Retail Price (RRP) - the save prices listed are calculated form suppliers RRP at time of preparation and when no such price exists is the retail price found at competing retailers. Due to discount policy we may not have sold at RRP. We beat everyone’s prices! At Chemist Warehouse if you find a cheaper price on the exact same item at another Australian Retail Store, we will match it and give you 10% off the difference! (Excludes ‘online only’ offers) *exact means same product, with the same packaging and where the product on offer at the other retail store is not clearance or run out stock. We reserve the right to adjust printing errors.

/// nutrition Brought to you by:

© Shutterstock.com/sripfoto

Milking the truth out of calcium Latte lovers, rejoice! That post ride brew IS doing you good. Accredited Sports Dietitian Louise Cato helps us digest all things dairy.

t e x t b y L o u i s e Cat o , A P D a n d A c c r e dit e d Sp o r t s D i e titia n | p h o t o g r a p h y b y S h u tt e r s t o c k . c o m a n d d e l l y c a r r

D

airy as a food group has drawn much interest from athletes in recent years, with popular diets such as Paleo advocating the exclusion of dairy foods. Should we or shouldn’t we be including dairy as part of a performance diet? Doesn’t milk with breakfast make you sick on long rides? But then how do you get enough calcium for bone health? It can be hard to make sense of the mixed messages – let’s take a closer look at the role dairy plays in performance.

To start with, the importance of calcium for strong healthy bones is a well-known message.

But is there a performance advantage? It’s true that calcium performs a mainly structural role in the body. 99 per cent of calcium in our bodies is found in bones and teeth, but the remaining one per cent is used to support metabolic function – which includes muscle contraction. And we shouldn’t overlook the relevance of a healthy skeleton for the triathlete – maintaining strong bones can help with prevention of bone-related injuries such as stress fractures.

The Australian dietary guidelines recommend two and a half dairy serves (the equivalent of

66

| Australian Triathlete

1300mg calcium) per day to meet calcium requirements for health. Of course it is possible to obtain calcium from a wide variety of other foods such as tofu, almonds, tahini, canned fish with bones and green leafy vegetables (spinach).

The problem is that these foods don’t come close to matching dairy as a calcium source, nor is the calcium as well absorbed. Dairy foods are also high in other essential vitamins, minerals and high quality proteins required for health and performance. This can be handy for athletes with low energy budgets to help meet nutrient requirements within their energy allowance.

Dairy pre-exercise – getting to the guts of it But doesn’t dairy before exercise give you gut upsets? Many athletes avoid eating dairy before exercise for fear of gastrointestinal upset, bloating or increased mucus production affecting their performance or comfort. Does this mean you should avoid dairy in your diet? The short answer is no. A small percentage of the population experiences lactose intolerance (meaning their gut can’t break down the carbohydrate in dairy, which ferments in the lower gut and causes discomfort).

Lactose intolerance doesn’t mean total dairy

exclusion though; there are many low lactose or lactose free dairy alternatives available (try Liddells or Zymil milk), and hard cheeses are naturally low in lactose.

The truth is the majority of the population shouldn’t have any issues with dairy, and milk on your cereal with your pre-exercise meal won’t affect your guts or your performance. In fact, a recent study1 asked 32 elite female cyclists to consume oats with 500ml of milk and a tub of yoghurt before a strenuous 90 minute cycling session. They found no differences in gut comfort or performance compared to a meal with no dairy beforehand. © Shutterstock.com/sharptoyou

Can dairy really help you milk the most out of your training?

discomfort: There are loads of options out there if you suffer from lactose intolerance.

/// nutrition

Dairy during exercise – the sweat calcium story Recent research has focused on the role calcium plays during prolonged exercise. During long rides (<3 hours), small amounts of calcium are lost in sweat (along with other electrolytes).

Because calcium is such an essential nutrient for muscle contraction, plasma levels of calcium must be kept stable. To do this, the balance of bone turnover shifts to increase bone resorption, releasing calcium from bone stores to replace what has been lost in sweat.

Over time, with many long hours on the bike, this can slowly chip away at bone mineral density. Long term, this means an increased risk of osteoporosis and arthritis, but short term it can increase: likelihood of fractures resulting from falls; stress fractures from over-training; and healing time for bone-related injury.

So what can you do? The good news is that consuming calcium before long sessions has been shown to counteract this calcium loss2,3. Two separate studies have shown intake of either a calcium supplement or a high calcium meal resulted in reduced markers of bone break down.

When elite cyclists consumed a high dairy breakfast, they displayed improved calcium balance at the end of a 90 minute session

despite having similar sweat calcium losses compared to when they consumed a non-dairy breakfast2. This suggests supplementing dietary calcium pre-ride improves bone turnover balance, which translates long term to improved bone mineral density and a stronger skeleton.

Achieving a high calcium breakfast is not difficult – try homemade porridge with almonds, a cheesy omelette, a fruit smoothie, or simply milk with cereal. An additional consideration on long rides might be calcium replenishment as you go – yoghurt coated sultanas make a portable snack.

Or consider swapping that long black for a latte or hot chocolate when you stop for a brew.

© Delly Carr

these nutrients and fit everything into a busy lifestyle can often be a challenge for triathletes, which is where dairy foods can provide a quick, economic post-exercise snack with an optimal nutrient profile.

The high quality protein from dairy provides essential amino acids required for muscle rebuilding, including leucine to stimulate the process. Dairy also contains a fast acting protein (whey) to promote quicker recovery, and a slow acting protein (casein) which reduces muscle breakdown post exercise. In fact, many commercial protein supplements use dairy proteins as their protein source. 500mL of milk contains approximately 20g of high quality protein, as well as the fluid and carbohydrate needed to replace lost nutrients. Milk also contains nine other essential vitamins and minerals – not just calcium but also sodium, potassium, phosphorous, B12, zinc and magnesium.

This explains why chocolate milk is promoted as a recovery drink – it naturally contains many of the electrolytes you’re trying to replace when choosing a sports drink, as well as the proteincarbohydrate-fluid combination. So it’s a nice little package, and means that you’ve been right about your post ride latte all these years! It’s also interesting to note that compared to other protein sources (eg. soy milk), milk protein promotes a greater positive protein balance4, meaning increased lean muscle mass gains.

Dairy post-exercise – does chocolate milk REALLY count as a recovery beverage?

As every triathlete knows all too well, recovery is key to performance, and nutrition is an important piece of the recovery puzzle. High quality nutrients can promote muscle repair and regrowth, stimulate glycogen replenishment and promote immune function. Trying to include all

Mineral rich: Chocolate milk is a great option for post training recovery drink.

Australian Triathlete |

67

/// nutrition Brought to you by:

Dairy and the training diet The final piece of the puzzle where dairy can offer a performance outcome is in supporting the many hours you devote to training and optimising body composition for competition. Far from being an additional source of calories, dairy can be thought about as a nutrient dense source of calcium to support bones, and high quality proteins to support muscles and promote satiety – if you’re feeling full it’s easier to pass on dessert!

Dairy is also important in supporting bone density during periods of low energy availability. This can occur when energy intake is too low to meet energy requirements – commonly seen when energy demands are high, or when calories are being restricted to achieve a body composition target.

An emerging area of research is the role dairy might play in body composition – the whey fraction of the protein is thought to support lean muscle and functional strength gains, as well as playing a role in reducing body fat levels.

Conclusion Despite some confusing messages from the media and so-called ‘nutrition gurus’, it appears the science supports the inclusion of dairy in the triathlete’s diet. Acknowledging that there is a small section of the community that malabsorbs dairy, for most triathletes the inclusion of dairy in the diet won’t cause gut issues or impair performance. In fact, dairy offers several advantages in the quality protein component and high calcium content. This supports recovery, promotes satiety, and reduces bone breakdown by counteracting the effect of sweat calcium losses. Dairy foods are also practical and convenient to fit into your nutrition plan. So it turns out it’s a pretty simple message after all – dairy in the diet CAN support your performance.

Berry Kugel • • • • • • •

200 g wide egg noodles ½ cup ricotta cheese ½ cup plain Greek yoghurt 2 eggs, lightly beaten ¼ cup milk 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 cup frozen berries

Method Set the kettle on to boil then place egg noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover noodles with boiling water. Leave until cooked through, then strain and set aside. Meanwhile combine cheese, yoghurt, eggs, milk and sugar in a large bowl. Gently fold in berries and cooked egg noodles. Transfer the mixture to a baking pan, cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 180°C. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top browns. Let the kugel cool, then cut into 12 portions. These can be wrapped in foil and taken out on long rides.

ey Banana Honge Quinoa Porrid • • • • • • •

¾ cup rolled oats ¼ quinoa flakes 1 ½ cups milk 1 medium banana, chopped 10 almonds, chopped 2 tsp honey Pinch salt

Nutritional Information Nutrient

Amount per serve

Energy (kJ)

308

Protein (g)

3.4

Carbohydrate (g)

9.7

Fat (g)

2.1

Calcium (mg)

46

Method

Top Tips • Lactose free dairy products still provide great quality protein and are a good source of calcium that won’t upset your guts if you suffer from lactose intolerance.

• UHT milk tetra packs offer the benefits of milk with greater convenience – they don’t need to be refrigerated and are portable snacks on the go.

• A medium latte (400ml) contains 10g protein, 17g carbohydrate, and a sizeable 270mg calcium – perfect to support long rides (in case you needed an another excuse for a coffee stop – ‘I’m just replacing my sweat calcium losses!’)

• Milk is also kind to your teeth – being an alkaline fluid it can offset dental erosion caused by sugary sports drinks.

68

| Australian Triathlete

bowl.

Combine oats, quinoa and milk in a large es, minut five for high on wave micro the Cook in chopped stopping to stir halfway through. Add mix banana, almonds, honey and salt to taste, through and serve.

Note: If you soak the oats in the milk more overnight, the oats will cook faster and one. s Serve ng. morni next the evenly

on Nutritional Informati Nutrient Energy (kJ)

Amount per serve 2445

Protein (g) Carbohydrate (g)

17

Fat (g)

31

Calcium (mg)

235

56

References 1. Haakonssen EC, Ross ML, Cato LE, Nana A, Knight EJ, Jenkins DG, Martin DT, Burke LM Dairy-based preexercise meal does not affect gut comfort or time-trial performance in female cyclists. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014. 24(5):553-8.

2. Haakonssen EC, Ross ML, Knight EJ, Cato LE, Nana A, Wluka AE, Cicuttini FM, Wang BH, Jenkins DJ, Martin DT, Burke LM. The effects of a calcium-rich pre-exercise meal on biomarkers of calcium homeostasis in competitive female cyclists. PLOS ONE. [In Press] 3. Barry DW, Hansen KC, van Pelt RE, Witten M, Wolfe P, Kohrt WM. Acute calcium ingestion attenuates exercise-induced disruption of calcium homeostasis.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011. 43(4):617-23.

4. Hartman JW, Tang JE, Wilkinson SB, Tarnopolsky MA, Lawrence RL, Fullerton AV, Phillips SM. Consumption of fat-free fluid milk after resistance exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than does consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007. 86(2):373-81.

SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS

TRAIN HARD » LIVE LARGE

NEW & EXCLUSIVE! 500G!

$

120 CAPS!

2499

$

2999

INC BCAA 120 CAPSULES

INC CREATINE 500G

500G!

$

2999ea

INC GLUTAMINE 500G

2KG!

2KG!

$

4999

INC ETERNAL MASS CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA FLAVOUR 2KG

$

INC 100 DYNAMIC WHEY CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA FLAVOUR 2KG

2KG!

$

6599

INC SHRED MAX PRO CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA FLAVOUR 2KG

6599

2KG!

$

9999

INC 100 WPI CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA FLAVOUR 2KG

FROM THE

Kitchen of MARGARET MIELCZAREK

Margaret

Hearty Winter Soup Ingredients 1 brown onion, diced 1 - 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 parsnip, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 - 3 celery stalks, chopped 4 cups vegetable stock 1 can tinned diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons pasata 1 can five bean mix 1 small cabbage 1 cup broccoli Seasoning (to taste): Salt Pepper Mixed herbs Parsley 1 - 2 bay leaves

70

| Australian Triathlete

Š Bochkarev Photography

Method: 1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.

2. Add onion and garlic and cook until brown/soft.

3. A dd carrots, parsnip, celery to the saucepan and toss for one to two minutes 4. Add stock, diced tomatoes, pasata and bring to boil.

5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, mixed herbs, parsley and bay leaves.

6. Add five bean mix, cabbage and broccoli and cook uncovered for another five minutes.

7. Serve topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a side dish of buttered crusty bread â&#x20AC;&#x201C; delicious!

Z ERO H

Zero, Zip, Zilch, Nada mechanical lag

Z ERO H

You will go faster.

Z ERO H

You will go much faster.

Available, Hubs, Hub Sets, Wheel sets www.gravity-zero.com.au

tech talk Road Test

Product Tested:

earhero sports Headphones/Earpiece

earHero leaves your ear canal open to all other sounds

earHero Sport

A

s consumers we are constantly bombarded with products that boast to be the best this or the fastest that.

The extrememly savvy marketing and PR specialists responsible for brand promotion seem to posses the ability to tap into our psyche and convince us that anything is a must have purchase. Often we, the all too believing, are left disappointed when said product doesn’t deliver the epic highs promised. Now, without sounding like a marketing or sales rep, the earHero Sport is one out of the box – a product that actually seems to deliver on its promise. What is this

72

| Australian Triathlete

priomise you ask – the world’s safest earphones.

Now I really cannot 100 pecent confirm nor deny if it is, in fact, the one and only safest as I haven’t tried every ear phone on the market.

What I can tell you is these are unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Any product that was developed for the FBI and CIA ticks my street cred boxes. As a crime show buff, when first opening the package and seeing a device that looks akin to that the Secret Service or James Bond would use, makes me feel a new level of tough. Designed and developed by a clinicial audiologist, this product is not just

about looks. With thanks to the patented design of earHero’s earpiece, you can hear your music with amazing clarity, while still be completely attuned and aware of surrounding noise like traffic.

Our tester, professional triathlete Jimmy Johnsen who lives in inner city Melbourne, is very aware of the dangers of riding in traffic. Spending everyday masterminding through the traffic congestion of the Sydney Road precinct, a strip notorious for car vs bike vs trucks vs car door incidents, a product like earHero Sport could ease much of that anxiety.

Reviewed by: Jimmy Johnsen Compiled by: AT Jimmy Johnsen is a two-time iron-distance champion and three-time half iron-distance champion. Hailingfrom the land of Denmark, Johnsen now calls Australia home.

Johnsen is a handy bike mechanic and takes interest in all things tech, gear and gadets, so much so, very few are trusted to work on his prized stead.

earHero moves with you through long hours of wear

Here was his reaction When I first opened the package it took me a moment to work out which part was the jack and which were the buds – I have never seen anything like it. Once I worked that out, I had to work out how they go in place. After a couple of attempts I got the buds to sit in the correct spot, right down in my ear. The first couple of times were challenging but by the third time I had it sorted.

sound, for the first time. I thought ‘ok the sound is great - I could hear someone talking next to me but what about on the road’. All I can say is wow.

I could hear all the traffic around me, as though I had nothing in my ears. At first it was a little strange to get used to but very quickly I was left with a total sense of calm while riding. I felt safe, something you don’t always feel when in the traffic.

The noise test I was completely shocked at the sound quality, so much so I had to turn the volume down, as it was so clear. It was like hearing sound, real

Two Thumbs Up • I could hear what riders in the group were saying without having to yell to hear over my music and because the buds are in.

• The 135cm long cable which is 15cm longer than standard headphone cables, making it very handy to place in your cycling jersey.

• Because the earphones are positioned right down in your ear, they stay in while running, a huge plus.

• The cord is soft and easily bent so it feels weightless while running and riding.

Weighing just 6g they more or less are!

• The price tag is heavy, but what price should you put on your safety? It is a low price to pay to be safe.

Head to earherosport.com.au to grab yourself a set.

Australian Triathlete |

73

tech talk Opinion

Product Tested:

Wheels

Clinchers/Tubulars

years ago the difference between industry leader, Zipp’s tubular 60mm wheel and tyre compared to its clincher version (aluminum rim with carbon fairing) was a whopping 500g per set. With the introduction of carbon clinchers and use of latex tubes this difference has been reduced to around 200g. For those races where multiple u-turns and accelerations are a necessity, the lighter rotating mass of the tubular will however take the performance cake. On the majority of the bike courses race organisers use today, these sorts of weights are near negligible to a large extent anyway, so the weight argument doesn’t really favour either side.

Rolling Resistance

Clinchers

Y

V

ou’ll often hear at the local caffeine exchange, the age-old debate over tubulars versus clinchers rearing its ugly head. Let’s look at both sides of the argument and see what you think.

First we need to start with finding out exactly what is a clincher, and what is a tubular? The term clincher refers to the way the tyre holds onto the wheel, i.e. it clinches to the wheel. In this tyre, a Kevlar or wire bead runs the circumference of both sides of the tyre, which then hooks under the inside edge of the rim. A separate tube is used in conjunction with the tyre to inflate and hold it onto the rim. The tubular or ‘single’ as some Australians call it, is a fully enclosed tyre stitched around an inner tube that attaches directly to the wheel rim via glue.

It must be mentioned that the ‘tubular rim’ is a different shape to that of a ‘clincher rim’, with a smooth curved base for the tyre to be glued to as opposed to the hook used on a clincher rim.

Up until the last 3 or 4 years there was a clear division between tubular and clincher

74

| Australian Triathlete

Tubulars

wheels. Tubulars were the lightweight fast race wheels that everyone wanted, while the clincher wheels were the heavier, everyday workhorse that got you through all those long training days.

Those lines have since become more and more blurred as the technological advancements in both styles of wheel have brought their performance closer and closer together. Now it’s time to break down the various aspects of the tyre’s characteristics and performance, so we can see where the benefits lie for each one.

Tyre Weight As previously mentioned the first choice for a race tyre/rim combination generally used to be a tubular as the combined weights of this duo was considerably less than that of the clincher version. Now that carbon clinchers can be reliably manufactured to give a similar weight to that of a tubular, this has started to see clinchers viewed in a new light. An example of this is five

Rolling resistance is basically the force that resists the motion of a rolling tyre, thus losing energy, slowing the rider.

The main reason for this is that the tyre is deforming constantly as it rolls. While there are other forces and frictions that offer greater resistance to riding a bike, every little bit matters.

Before the advent of wide rim wheels (pre 2006-ish), tubulars won the rolling resistance battle hands down, in a large part due to their ability to have considerably higher pressures pumped into them. This higher pressure allowed the tyre to better hold its form, therefore not losing as much energy compared to a clincher.

The wider the tyres became, however, the lower the rolling resistance got, as the wider tyre is ‘rounder’ and thus deforms less under force.

Combine the new wider rims with wider tyres and lighter tubes and in many circumstances the clincher will perform as well as, or even better, than a tubular. It should be noted that this will only hold true at equivalent tyre pressures.

Because a tubular can be inflated to a higher pressure, its resistance will be less. If race conditions suggest this will be advantageous.

There is a trade off though. Higher pressure and less rolling resistance equal a harsher ride, which for a triathlete could equal a really draining experience over a long course race on rough roads. Higher pressure also means less grip on the tarmac, as there is less deformity and less surface area in contact with the ground. In light of this, races requiring a lot of cornering or ones held during wet weather, lower pressures in either tubular or clinchers tyres are definitely preferred. Our view is that tubular tyres are more

Reviewed by: The Test Lab Craig McKenzie and Patrick Legge are The Test Lab. Two guys with an obsession for trialling all things related to swimming, riding and running and telling anyone who will listen what they think. Having 20 years each in the sport, they’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, but always loved the innovation triathlon brings to the world stage. Craig raced as a professional triathlete, winning 4 National Duathlon titles, and has worked as an exercise physiologist, osteopath and coach, while Pat has built a career running a personal training, massage and coaching business, working with State, Australian and World Champions, including Australian Olympic and Commonwealth squads whilst competing himself.

adaptable to most race conditions to give the best rolling resistance and grip characteristics.

Clinchers are again narrowing the gap as tyre sizes increase, and they will likely still perform just as well as tubulars in dry weather on good quality roads.

Puncture Resistance The biggest difference between a really good tubby and clincher is the much greater reduction in the likelihood of getting a pinch flat with a tubular. These types of punctures happen when the inner tube of a clincher is pinched between the rim and tyre, (most often due to a badly fitted tube) when the rider hits a bump or rock or pothole on the road. A pinch flat cannot happen with a tubular as the tube is attached to the tyre and therefore won’t get squeezed between the rim and rubberized portion of the tyre. As mentioned previously, a tubular tyre can run lower pressures without this phenomenon becoming a problem, whereas an underinflated clincher heightens the chance of this occurring.

You can also ride for a while on a properly fitted and glued tubular without it rolling off. Handy if you’ve only got a few kilometers to get back to

transition. Try doing this on a clincher and you’ll either destroy the rim or get well acquainted with the gutter, as the tyre will likely roll off the rim. We wouldn’t recommend you testing this theory out under either circumstance unless you’re racing for a World Championship, as the risk of damaging your precious wheels probably outweighs a speedy bike split.

If you are unlucky to get a puncture with either system, especially during a race, the tubular tyre is our favoured choice, as the time taken to swap old for new is far less. We can change a well fitted, not heavily glued tubby in around a minute under good conditions, whereas a clincher will take up to 5 minutes if care is being taken to avoid pinch flat issues. For the highly competitive amongst us this is a no brainer, as the time can be amplified under race conditions, potentially destroying the chance of podium spot or god forbid a shot at getting to Kona!

Clinchers do however get our vote for the ease in which they can be initially fitted, as gluing a tubular is a lengthy and potentially messy affair. Although both systems are not necessarily difficult once you’ve done them a few times, most people will have more practice with the clinchers wheels as they’re generally used in training too.

Cost So far we have seen that the overall characteristics and performance benefits of tubulars seem to outweigh the clinchers, but we haven’t spoken about one of the most influential variables yet, cost. Pricing differences between the two, in our opinion, are a massive saving in favour of the clincher variant. Top line tubular tyres can be quite expensive to buy at over $200 not including the cost of tyre glue, while their clinchers counterpart will be half this price. The inner tubes required for the clincher system will set you back around $10 for a basic one and only around $20 for quality latex inners, making an overall saving at around $200 per set. On top of that if you’re looking at carrying a spare in case of a flat, you’ll be spending only $20 on a tube, instead of another $200+on the tubby.

When factoring in the cost of the tubular tyre or clincher tyre/tube combo, one mustn’t forget the costs involved in wheels being used as well.

Tubular rims can claw back some of these above savings over full carbon clinchers as they are generally cheaper to manufacture and therefore less expensive to buy, at around a couple of hundred dollars lower on a high quality set. Over the long term though, the tubular system will be more of a drain on the wallet than that of the clinchers, as the tyres will generally need replacing more regularly than any rim. Aluminum rimmed clinchers are the best budget option for wheels, beating full carbon clinchers and tubular rims for price, but losing the weight battle by a long way.

Summary As you can probably imagine, a unanimous decision on the best style of tyre will not be made any time soon. All we can do to make the most appropriate choice with the above factors in mind. In our belief we still think that if money is no object, tubulars sit at the top of the heap, while the budget conscious will most likely tend towards clinchers. For those athletes stuck in the middle you will have to weigh up what qualities you prefer in a tyre and how they match your race goals. As we always suggest, speak with your local bike store to get the best advice for your situation.

Australian Triathlete |

75

tech talk opinion

Narrow/Wide Chainrings Hit the World of Triathlon t e x t b y C r ai g M c K e n z i e a n d P at r i c k L e g g e @ t h e t e s t l a b p h o t o g r a p h y b y s u pp l i e d

N

arrow/wide chainrings are finding their way to the road/tri segment!

This year we will start to see a lot more of these offerings coming from bike manufacturers with triathletes being a specific target. In short this the new SRAM 1X design features a single front chainring with alternating thick and thin tooth profiles that are better matched to the chains inner and outer plates, creating a better interface between the two, greatly reducing the possibility of dropping the chain.

The 4-bolt Falco offering (pictured above) will match existing Shimano crank spiders as well as their SRM crank sets. SRAM will be launching their 5-bolt platform in both Force (pictured below) and Rival versions over the US summer. This brand will also still be fully compatible with Quarq Power meters. Sizes will likely go up to 54t going down in 2 tooth increments, which can be matched with existing rear cassettes depending on the type of course.

Most triathletes will likely opt for a 54t or 52t front ring paired with anything from a rear

11-23t for flat courses up to 12-32t cassette for hillier terrain. It shouldn’t be long until the other big manufacturers get in on the game.

Benefits for triathletes look likely to be reduced aerodynamic drag from less frontal profile, less pricey as there is no front derailleur required and only one shifter, and much greater simplicity to use as only one gear lever is needed. Weight reductions are also evident due to the single derailleur and shifter, but the rear cassette may offset some of this saving if large cog sizes are chosen. Power savings have been reported as a potential benefit but it’s likely this is will be negligible and may cause a little more friction in a cross-chain position. Some downsides may include larger than normal jumps between cogs to get an easier gear for hilly courses and potentially increased shifting effort depending on the rear derailleur set up.

Personally, we can’t wait for more of these offerings which will incorporate complete group sets, with specially designed rear derailleurs and the potential for a big change in the way gearing is viewed by the bike industry.

Lets have a look at :

Chain rings

Front/back: Falco’s new Shimano compatible narrow/wide chainring.

Front: SRAM’s new Force 1X narrow/wide chainring.

Craig McKenzie and Patrick Legge are The Test Lab. Two guys with an obsession for trialling all things related to swimming, riding and running and telling anyone who will listen what they think. Having 20 years each in the sport, they’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, but always loved the innovation triathlon brings to the world stage. Craig raced as a professional triathlete, winning 4 National Duathlon titles, and has worked as an exercise physiologist, osteopath and coach, while Pat has built a career running a personal training, massage and coaching business, working with State, Australian and World Champions, including Australian Olympic and Commonwealth squads whilst competing himself.

76

| Australian Triathlete

tech talk Save/Spend/Splurge WOMEN

Product:

running jackets

MEN

Save

$35.00

ONE Active by Michelle Bridges for Big W

Michelle Bridges Plus Windcheater Beat the wind with this ONE active by Michelle Bridges Plus Windcheater!

Featuring a full zip closure, reflective trims, elasticised cuffs and side pockets with zip closure, you’ll never want to take this off!

Target

www.bigw.com.au

T30 Wind Breaker Jacket If you can find the time, your health and wellbeing will thank you. 30 minutes a day is all you need! T30 brings you the perfect windbreaker jacket to keep you protected from the elements.

With zip closure, drawstring hood and twin pockets, this is a workout must-have.

$49

www.target.com.au

Spend

SCODY

Performance Thermal Run Jacket Light weight jacket, suitable for layering on cool mornings.

Contructed from Italian Roubaix fabric, this jacket has a soft and comfortable handle and wicks moisture away from the skin.

$140 New Balance

Performance Jacket Warning: Our Performance Jacket, with its soft woven fabric, animalinspired prints, color blocking and contoured hem, may attract stares. You’ll hardly notice, though, because it is designed for performance with enhanced breathability, reflective features and ultimate comfort.

$179

www.newbalance.com.au

Splurge

2XU

Lululemon

Bright Bomber Jacket When we’re racing past our limits on a winter training run, we don’t want anything to hold us back (especially not the lack of daylight hours). We designed this jacket with fully reflective and breathable fabric to help keep us visible when we’re pounding the pavement before the sun comes up.

Light up the night? We got it.

www.lululemon.com.au

$249

Men’s Elite Cruize Jacket With all the 2XU trimmings and even more this winter, this popular Elite Cruize Jacket comes with enhanced zip-off hood construction for unparalleled protection and versatility plus contrast trims for a striking performance finish. A longer length and stretch panels keep the wearer comfortable while 2XU’s hydrophilic 5:5 XSTRETCH and 5:10 XSTRETCH membranes team for outstanding vapour release and water protection.

The MR2214a will arm the wearer with an equilibrium microclimate to guarantee dryness and warmth.

www.2xu.com.au

$380 Australian Triathlete |

77

/// XTERRA Asia Pacific Championships Race Details: Location: Jervis Bay, NSW Distance: 1.5KM/34KM/10KM Date: 18th April 2015

A Muddy Affair XTERRA Asia Pacific Championships tested the best of the best in off road triathlon as they did battle in Jervis Bay, New South Wales. t e x t b y J a c q u i S l a c k | p h o t o g r a p h y b y G e o s n ap s h o t . c o m

T

he 18th of April saw the second Annual XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship in Callala Beach, NSW. With huge thanks to Destination New South Wales, the XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship is the most prestigious XTERRA event after the iconic world championship race. The Asia-Pacific champs offers professional athletes the chance to winning a combined total of $50,000. The XTERRA Asia-Pacific Championship will be filmed and edited into a TV show to be seen by millions worldwide.

The NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres welcomed athletes to the state this week, ahead of the event. “New South Wales is Australia’s adventure tourism capital. We’ve got so many fantastic landscapes

78

| Australian Triathlete

and opportunities for athletes to really test their skills and endurance. I think the South Coast is a wonderful location for XTERRA and wish the athletes a fantastic time.”

Elite Energy, a well known event company in the New South Wales region and renowned for running the famous Husky Triathlon, worked closely with Xterra’s very own Team Unlimited to host a fantastic event for all involved.

Most of XTERRA’s big name players lined up Callala Beach to complete for the Asia-Pacific Title with ten countries being represented including Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, USA, UK, Austria, Chile, Bermuda, South Africa and France. Hundreds of age groupers battle it out for a slot at this years World Championships in Maui on November 1st 2015.

The championship event combines a 1.5-kilometer ocean swim at Callala Beach, which is approximately two and a half hours south of

Sydney, 34 kilometers of mountain biking followed by 10 kilometers of trail running.

The off-road sports festival weekend also includes a sprint distance off-road triathlon, trail runs, and relay team competitions attracting more than 500 competitors of all ages, offering them an opportunity to see the dirty side of triathlon.

With last years champion Dan Hugo of South Africa not returning to race, following his retirement, all eyes were on local lad Ben Allen.

With15 XTERRA championship victories to his name and coming off back to back wins in Asia, he was the one to beat. Headlining the women’s race was defending champion and current World Champion Flora Duffy who has been unstoppable this year with wins in Philippines and South Africa.

/// XTERRA Asia Pacific Championships Race Details: Location: Jervis Bay, NSW Distance: 1.5KM/34KM/10KM Date: 18th April 2015

Race Day After a wet Friday that soaked pre-riders and runners, the clouds and rain gave way to bright sunshine Saturday morning and nearperfect racing conditions, except of course, for the slick roots and muddy trails that the rain left behind. It turned intermediate routes into technical tracks and clean racing kits into mud-splattered ensembles.

In the men’s race the adverse conditions played right into the strengths of Braden Currie, one of the best adventure racers in the world.

“It was awesome, it was wet, it was muddy, it was actually quite technical because it was so loose but it’s stuff that you don’t get hurt on so you can hit it as hard as you can and if you crash you jump back up and go again,” said Currie.

The 28-year-old from Wanaka came out of the swim about the same time as Conrad Stoltz in 18:06, and trailed Courtney Atkinson and Ben Allen by about one minute. Atkinson and Allen were up front on the bike early until the course got into some of the twisting tree lines.

“I knew it was going to be some pretty hard racing,” said Currie. “I caught Courtney on some of the single track and Ben sort of got stuck behind him and I made myself a bit of a gap and just extended that lead through the end of the bike. I knew me and Courtney would have a pretty hard run battle if we were close, so I tried to put everything I could into the bike.”

The strategy paid off, and he posted the fastest bike split of the day in 1:24:03 which was more than six-minutes faster than Atkinson.

The way the two-time Olympian Atkinson can run, it was a necessary cushion.

“I knew when Braden was the first to catch me I was in trouble,” said Atkinson, who moved up from fifth off the bike to second by the finish by posting the fastest run split of the day (35:30) by two minutes. “Braden, he’s not the world’s best adventurer for no reason. I came down twice on the bike today on some slippery stuff. It’s a challenge for me. There were times on the bike when I was thinking that I could get off and run faster than this, and much less dangerously. I know overseas they have sloppy, jungle XTERRA’s but this is probably the first time I’ve experienced this level of mud. I ran as quick as I could but the thing with Xterra is the bike kills your legs. It was a tough day at the muddy office.”

For Stoltz, the four-time XTERRA World champ “I wouldn’t have imagined a podium today.

Yesterday I didn’t think I was going to race but I woke up this morning feeling much, much better. I was just happy to be out there and finish in the prize money” Stoltz ultimately finished third, just ahead of Olly Shaw and Ben Allen.

Shaw, the 23-year-old from Rotorua who was third last weekend at his hometown race, was

Left to right: Riveros had to settle for another second behind Duffy, the current world champion.

thrilled to be in the mix and living the XTERRA lifestyle. “I’m pretty happy, the atmosphere is so awesome and it’s an amazing field here.”

Ben Allen, fresh off wins at XTERRA Saipan and XTERRA Guam, finished in fifth, “I gave it my all today it just wasn’t enough to get the result I was looking for. It’s a fantastic event and I’ll be back next year to compete again for the title.”

Josh Kenyon finished in sixth, Brodie Gardner seventh, with Jarad Kohler, Kieran McPherson, and Mitchell Ginsberg rounding out the top 10.

Flora Duffy took most of the drama right out of the women’s race right from the start with another dominating performance on her way to her 10th XTERRA championship win in 11 races since the start of the 2014 season.

The 27-year-old two-time Olympian from Devonshire, Bermuda had the fastest swim, the quickest bike and the second-best run split to take the tape in 2:36:40, a full three-minutes in front of Riveros. Riveros was also the runner-up to Duffy at last year’s XTERRA World Championships and the pair are amongst the very best on the highly competitive ITU World Triathlon Series.

“It was a tough day out there, I really wanted to defend this title, and it’s a lot harder defending. I seem to be the favorite no matter what. I wanted to attack the swim and nail the bike, ride the technical bits as best I could. I had a few issues out there, though, with a couple mechanicals and a little crash.

It was super muddy. Then I just tried to run steady, and not push too hard. I’m really happy with how it went.” Said Duffy Riveros who was in second the whole way but still had her share of misfortune. “I fell in the mud puddles, didn’t realize it was so deep, and I couldn’t get out of there but it was great,

a beautiful course, and I’m happy to have raced here and qualify for XTERRA Worlds.”

Behind Riveros, Jacqui Slack was in third and in control as she had a good lead coming off the bike and finished off with a solid run. Suzie Snyder finished in fourth, and Lizzie Orchard had the best race of her career and ran her way into fifth.

“Wow, that’s a really tough course. The trails are fantastic but you have to keep pedaling all the time, it’s a real power course. There’s no let up, you can’t rest and in the muddy sections you have to keep pushing all the time. It’s tiring on your body and mind” said Jacqui Slack. “The competition was fierce, and it was really close at the end for the third through fifth positions.”

Indeed it was, with just one-minute separating Slack, Snyder, and Orchard. Carina Wasle finished sixth and covered in mud, Caroline Steffen was seventh in her XTERRA debut, Jessica Simpson placed eight, while Renata Bucher and Belinda Hadden rounded out the top 10.

Steffen, of Ironman fame, had a big smile and lots of stories to tell at the finish line.

“It’s awesome. Lot of fun. Bit muddy and dirty, but I really enjoyed it,” said Steffen. “Maybe after Kona I’ll go to Maui, why not!” exclaimed Steffen.

“It looks beautiful, and if my performance today was good enough I wouldn’t turn it down.” It was a super day with huge smiles from everyone that crossed the finish line. Despite the muddy conditions from heavy rainfall it didn’t dampen

Maybe after Kona I’ll go to Maui, why not!!

— Caroline Steffen Australian Triathlete |

79

/// XTERRA Asia Pacific Championships Race Details: Location: Jervis Bay, NSW Distance: 1.5KM/34KM/10KM Date: 18th April 2015 Pro Men

Swim

Bike

Run

Finish

0:18:06

1:24:03

0:37:32

2:23:37

AUS

0:17:00

1:30:26

0:35:30

2:26:23

RSA

0:18:06

1:24:23

0:40:31

2:27:12

4. Olly Shaw

NZL

0:19:48

1:25:25

0:38:35

2:27:50

5. Ben Allen

AUS

0:17:19

1:26:51

0:42:22

2:30:54

6. Josh Kenyon

NZL

0:20:31

1:28:47

0:40:43

2:34:08

7.

AUS

0:19:45

1:31:54

0:43:09

2:39:25

AUS

0:21:05

1:31:22

0:43:44

2:40:03

1.

Braden Currie

NZL

2. Courtney Aktinson 3. Conrad Stoltz

Brodie Gardner

8. Jarad Kohlar 9. Kieran McPherson

NZL

0:19:23

1:35:53

0:42:05

2:41:45

10. Mitchell Ginsbert

RSA

0:20:12

1:33:04

0:44:05

2:41:53

Swim

Bike

Run

Finish

Pro Women 1.

Smile Aplenty: Smiles all round for the men’s and women’s top five finishers

spirits as the sun shone on race day for near perfect conditions. A huge thank you to all involved including volunteers and sponsors for making this one happen. Long may off road triathlon continue to grown within Australia.

ATKINSON AND SIMPSON CROWNED AUSSIE CHAMPS Atkinson and Simpson win the XTERRA Australia Title being the first male and female Aussie’sto cross the finish line. “Pretty cool to win the XTERRA Australian title for the third year in a row” said Atkinson while Wollongong lass Jess Simpson was delighted to come away with the Aussie title.

LANG, DAVIS WIN XTERRA ASIA-PACIFIC AMATEUR TITLES Tim Lang and Jennifer Davis were the top amateurs on the day. Lang finished 7th overall, ahead of several pros and almost three minutes ahead of last weekends overall amateur champion at Xterra New Zealand Matt Backler.

Davis was the ninth overall female and almost four minutes ahead of amateur runner-up Sophie Bos-Stapley. All of the age group champions and dozens more of the top performers earned a qualifying spot into the Xterra World Championship on November 1, 2015 in Kapalua, Maui, and the top Aussies in each division were crowned National Champs.

80

| Australian Triathlete

Flora Duffy

BER

0:17:24

1:34:27

0:40:26

2:36:40

2. Barbara Riveros

CHI

0:19:15

1:36:41

0:39:31

2:39:47

3. Jacqui Slack

GBR

0:20:19

1:37:37

0:44:46

2:47:06

4. Suzie Snyder

USA

0:20:29

1:39:11

0:43:34

2:47:53 2:48:08

5. Lizzie Orchard

NZL

0:21:25

1:41:13

0:41:07

6. Carina Wasle

AUT

0:22:01

1:40:15

0:45:18

2:52:36

7.

Caroline Steffen

SUI

0:19:38

1:48:51

0:43:20

2:56:52

8. Jessica Simpson

AUS

0:21:49

1:44:29

0:46:13

2:57:17

9. Renata Bucher

SUI

0:22:18

1:47:00

0:53:51

3:08:40

10. Belinda Hadden

AUS

22:24

1:55:05

0:49:15

Pretty cool to win the XTERRA Australian title for the third year in a row — Courtney Atkinson UPDATED XTERRA ASIAN TOUR STANDINGS After a total of 4 stops on the Asia Pacific Xterra Tour Ben Allen and Jacqui Slack remain at the top of the tour standings with just the finale at XTERRA Malaysia in Langkawi on May 2 remaining. Allen is counting two wins and a third, while Weiss is counting one win and two seconds so just two points separate the two.

With Malaysia counting double points, it’ll all come down to that one. The women’s series chase is up for grabs, although Slack has the best odds at this point with a 27-point lead over Carina Wasle.

ABOUT TEAM UNLIMITED / XTERRA TEAM Unlimited is a Hawaii-based television events and marketing company, founded in 1988.

It owns and produces XTERRA and in 2014 will offer more than 300 XTERRA off-road triathlon and trail running races in 25+ countries worldwide. In addition, TEAM TV has produced more than 300 adventure television shows resulting in three Emmy’s and 42 Telly Awards for production excellence since 1990. View samples at www.xterra.tv, and learn more at www.xterraasiapacific.com, www.xterraplanet. com and www.xterratrailrun.com.

Age Group Men

Finish

15-19

Tom Montgomery

3:24:53

20-24

Chris Mutton

3:21:44

25-29

Alex Roberts

2:50:51

30-34

Nathan Jone

2:41:11

35-39

Matt Backler

2:40:58

40-44

Russell Kennedy

2:46:34

45-49

Tim Lang

2:37:50

50-54

Chris Dimos

2:57:11

55-59

John Hill

3:08:17

60-64

Richard Jeffrey

3:09:28

70-74

RayLichtwark

3:30:22

Age Group Women

Finish

15-19

Matilda Terry

3:27:07

20-24

Tilly Horman

3:54:45

25-29

Jessica Egan

3:33:16

30-34

Jennifer Davis

3:05:58

35-39

Michelle Morris

3:28:13

40-44

Katrina Skellern

3:20:32

45-49

Sophie Bos-Stapley

3:09:35

50-54

Lindy Kronen

3:32:35

55-59

Jennifer Strack

3:31:48

/// XTERRA Asia Pacific Championships Race Details: Location: Jervis Bay, NSW Distance: 1.5KM/34KM/10KM Date: 18th April 2015

Flight Centre Flying Tod Horton of Flight Centre Active is a keen off road racer.

All round star: Courtney Atkinson has had a big few weeks, making his return to ITU WTS racing recently and an XTERRA Asia-Pacific crown.

courageous to the end: Ben Allen gave it his all which was clear as he crossed the line in fourth.

Australian Triathlete |

81

/// toyota ironman australia Race Details: Location: Port macquarie, nsw Distance: 3.8km/180km/42.2km Date: 3 May 2015

Done it!

Ambrose’s power on the bike, set him up to take the win over Luke Bell.

Ambrose red hot in Port Mac t e x t b y A T | p h o t o g r a p h y b y D e l ly c a r r

T

he 30th anniversary of Ironman Australia saw a reunion of several of the past winners who returned to Port Macquarie for the celebration, including Pete Jacobs, Paul Ambrose, Luke Bell and Michelle Gailey. Unfortunately, over the last fews years we’ve seen a decline in the depth of field in what was once the premier Ironman race in the country. This year, there certainly was a stronger pro line up than we’ve seen in the most recent editions. The men’s field in particular was always going to be hotly contested. Probably the most talked about topic leading into the race was the epic weather belting the New South Wales coast line. There was no doubt all competitors and spectators had all their fingers and toes crossed for clear weather come race day.

82

| Australian Triathlete

Men’s Race Near perfect conditions greeted athletes on r ace morning, which was a relief for all. With names like Bell, Ambrose and Jacobs, as well Kiwi super swimmer Graham O’Grady, we knew it was going to be a fast swim. Early in the swim Bell, Jacobs and O’Grady established a small half a minute lead over a chase group which included Ambrose, while Robertson was just behind.

O’Grady was the first out of the water with a swim time of 44:55 with Bell and Jacobs just two and three seconds later respectively.

Ambrose was fourth to hit T2 with a 47:33 split and just over two and half minutes off the front. In fifth was young gun Lachie Kerin (+3:25), Seychelles athlete Nick Baldwin sat in

sixth (+3:28), while Robertson fell back to seventh with a 48:26 overall swim time.

Rounding out the top ten out of the drink was Aussie Brian Fuller (+3:31), Kiwi Carl Read (+5:32) and Luke Martin (+5:33).

With torrential rain inundating the coast for days, the roads were wet and caution was taken early, but it wasn’t slowing Ambrose down who was working hard to catch the leaders. By the 35km mark Ambrose had reeled in the deficit to just 1:41 over Jacobs, O’Grady and Bell who continued to lead.

Positions and time deficits remained mostly unchanged for the early stages but a surge from Jacobs and Bell to drop O’Grady proved fruitful and the pair managed to put a five minute gap in between the Kiwi by the 80km mark. Ambrose was now holding third position but was now faced with a 2:40 deficit. Robertson had moved up to fourth while Baldwin and Fuller rounded out the top five.

Half way into the bike leg, Jacobs was leading solo with Bell around a minute behind him with Ambrose in third and three minutes off the front. But an error in judgement by Jacobs who overshot the turnaround point cost him around 30 seconds of his lead and Bell was now in reach.

Jacobs, the 2011 champion was not giving up and continued to work hard. At 110km his lead was out to two minutes but Ambrose, a very strong biker was also working hard and pulling time back. Finding himself just 20 seconds behind Bell at 110km, Ambrose continued to push the pace and by 128km, was just 37 seconds shy of the lead.

It wasn’t long before Ambrose and Bell would take the lead and at 135km the one time chase

/// toyota ironman australia Race Details: Location: Port macquarie, nsw Distance: 3.8km/180km/42.2km Date: 3 May 2015

pair were now leading the race, just shy of a minute ahead of Jacobs who was now in third.

Baldwin had moved into fourth, 3:55 off the front, while Robertson held fifth but was now six minutes off the race.

Ambrose got clear of Bell by 145km into the bike segment and Baldwin moved into third with Jacobs dropping to fourth and Robertson in fifth and just short of ten minutes down.

Setting a cracking pace was Ambrose and with 30km to go, was nearly three minutes ahead of Bell and close to six ahead of Baldwin.

As expected Ambrose was first into transition clocking a 5:28:57 bike split, the fastest of the day, and found himself with a 7:04 lead as he hit the run. Bell was second into transition, Baldwin third (+8:21), Fuller was fourth (+11:38) while Jacobs had fallen to fifth (+15:29). Robertson struggled at the end of the bike and came into T2 in tenth place, but 27 minutes down – he would go on to officially DNF not long after.

nearly got ya: Despite having the fastest run leg, Luke Bell just couldn’t catch the leading Ambrose and had to settle for second.

It was history repeating itself for Ambrose who found himself in the exact same position when he took his first crown at this race in 2013.

On that day he had local Tim Berkel coming for him and the title, but today it was Bell.

Bell was working hard to whittle down the Ambrose lead which made for one exciting finish.

At 5km it was 7:20, 9km 6:50, and at15km Ambrose’s lead was down to 6:38 with the pair both running 4:06min/per/km pace. At the half way mark, five minutes separated the two and at 25km Bell had got the deficit down to 3:26. At 27km, it was just 2:52. Bell was taking almost 30 seconds for every 1500 metres.

Pro Men 1.

big result: Brian Fuller was pretty happy with his third place finish.

Paul Ambrose

At the 35km mark, things really started to heat up with just 45 seconds between the two and many would have tipped Bell to be able to outrun Ambrose. However, Ambrose broke the tape to take his second Ironman Australia title with a finish time of 8:35:53 - 2:40 clear of Bell, who tried gallantly but had to settle for second place despite the fastest run split of the day. Fuller made big inroads throughout the marathon to take out third while Luke Martin earned the second fastest run of the day (3:08:13) to nab a fourth place finish. Baldwin rounded out the top five.

Swim

Bike

Run

Finish

AUS

47:34

4:39:24

3:05:22

8:35:53

2. Luke Bell

AUS

44:58

4:49:01

3:01:01

8:38:34

3. Brian Fuller

AUS

48:28

4:49:53

3:08:30

8:49:39

4. Luke Martin

AUS

50:30

4:54:20

3:08:13

8:56:19

5. Nick Baldwin

SEY

48:24

4:46:59

3:21:11

8:59:44

6. Carl Read

NZL

50:28

5:07:47

2:58:47

9:02:08

7.

Petr Vabrousek

CZE

52:43

5:01:17

3:18:07

9:16:07

8. Dan McGuigan

AUS

58:38

4:51:16

3:23:50

9:18:50

9. Graham O'Grady

NZL

44:56

4:59:05

3:51:24

9:38:34

10. Pete Jacobs

AUS

44:59

4:57:28

3:53:06

9:38:34

Australian Triathlete |

83

/// toyota ironman australia Race Details: Location: Port macquarie, nsw Distance: 3.8km/180km/42.2km Date: 3 May 2015

Bremer is BACK!: After years battling injury, Bremer returned to the top in Port Mac.

Women’s Race The women’s race may not have had a world champion headline star but that made for a tight contest. Not unexpectedly quality swimmer Lisa Marangon was the first to exit the water a 51:58 split. She was followed by the 2012 champion Michelle Gailey just 55 seconds later. The two-time iron-distance champion has battled injury and illness for the last 12-18 months but looks to be back in action. Christie Sym was third out of the water after a 53 flat swim time, just 1:02 off the front. She was followed by another Michelle Bremer in the field, who like Gailey is on the rebound from a long term injury spell. She was fourth out of the water at 1:13. American Caroline Gregory was fifth to exit just three seconds behind Bremer.

After a small mix up in transition, Gailey, Sym and Bremer all went for the wrong bike. This gave Marangon a small break to get away, but it wouldn’t take long before she was joined by Bremer who by the 12km mark, had taken the lead. Unable to shake the strong rider in Marangon, the pair continued together putting time into their lead over Sym. At 21km Sym was 55 seconds down and Gailey 2:10 in arrears and by 35km, while Sym’s deficit had grown to 1:56.

Through the 70km mark of the bike Marangon had established a 10-second lead over Bremer, and Sym had moved up to 1:35 off the front but did receive a drafting penalty. Strong biker Jess Fleming clawed her way back from a four minute deficit after the swim, to be riding just 1:45 down and in fourth.

Marangon was looking good and gaining more time on Bremer. By the half way point she had extended her lead to just shy of a minute, while Fleming had moved into third after Sym served her penalty. She was now 6:40 down on the leaders.

Continuing to monster the second half of the bike, Marangon was 1:10 clear of Bremer

84

| Australian Triathlete

at the110km mark, and by 130km it was out to 2:33. At this point it was Jess Fleming sitting in second with Bremer just 15 seconds behind her in third. By 170, Marangon was out to three minutes ahead of Fleming and four and a half over Bremer.

Fleming worked hard in the final stages of the bike to come into T2 in second place but had her deficit down to 2:36 over the leading Marangon. Sym was back in third (+4:12), Bremer was holding fourth (+5:30).

Early in the run, it was evident that the big bike leg hurt Marangon and couldn’t match the pace Fleming was clocking and she took the lead.

Sym followed suit and moved into second place ahead of Marangon, who was sitting in third in the first 5km.

It wasn’t long before Marangon pulled the pin on her day and as Fleming went through

Pro Women 1.

Michelle Bremer

Swim

the 8km mark she was holding her lead by 20 seconds over Sym. Marangon’s exit left the door open for the two Michelles (Bremer and Gailey) – both quality runners.

Bremer was working hard to catch the leader and by the 15km mark, Fleming was still leading now with just over a minute advantage over Sym who had Bremer coming for her, just 13 seconds behind.

The wheels all fell off for Sym and by the half way point, Bremer was just 17 seconds behind Fleming, and Gailey had moved into third albeit nine minutes behind. It didn’t take long for Bremer to make her move and take the lead over Fleming.

Not wanting to give Fleming a sniff at a clawback, Bremer put her foot down and extended her lead to 1:44 at 31km. By 35km Bremer held a 2:28 advantage over Fleming in second, while Gailey was clear in third.

Bremer sealed her big return to the top, taking out the 2015 Toyota Ironman Australia title with a finish time of 9:38:23. Fleming in just her second pro season, nailed yet another stellar performance to take second in 9:42:18. Michelle Gailey is back where she belongs on the podium, taking third place in the competition. Sorrell of New Zealand and Gregory of the USA rounded out the top five.

Bike

Run

Finish 9:38:24

NZL

53:13

5:18:15

3:23:17

2. Jessica Fleming

AUS

56:26

5:11:50

3:30:35

9:42:18

3. Michelle Gailey

AUS

52:54

5:24:59

3:28:56

9:50:51

4. Marie Sorrell

NZL

55:52

5:24:53

3:32:24

9:57:06

5. Caroline Gregory

USA

53:15

5:44:45

3:35:35

10:16:56

6. Michelle Wu

AUS

53:18

5:54:08

3:31:52

10:24:49

The beauty of the Whitsundays will keep you going when your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ready to give up during the Hamilton Island Triathlon.

A 750m swim in Catseye Bay is followed by a 20km cycle, and a 5km run through the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marina Village.

Get into gear for race day on Saturday 21st of November.

For more information visit www.hamiltonisland.com.au

/// ironman 70.3 busselton Race Details: Location: busselton, WA Distance: 1.9km/90km/21.1km Date: 2nd may 2015

Feeling the chill: Liz Blatchford battled the cold conditions to take home second place

86

| Australian Triathlete

foot race: Sam Appleton is making a habbit of taking it right up to the best in the world. He and Terenzo ran together for much of the run until Appleton broke away to win.

/// ironman 70.3 busselton Race Details: Location: busselton, WA Distance: 1.9km/90km/21.1km Date: 2nd may 2015

beautiful sunrise: The beautiful Busselton sunrise as athletes looked ahead of race start.

Home town girl: Kate Bevilaqua loves racing at home in Western Australia.

A fourth place was the result this year for the reigning champ

Icy conditions: It was a chilly start at Busselton for athletes.

Australian Triathlete |

87

/// ironman 70.3 busselton Race Details: Location: busselton, WA Distance: 1.9km/90km/21.1km Date: 2nd may 2015

Two wheeled machine: Appleton (left) biked well with the second fastest split of the day.

Flying Kiwi: Bozzone (above) run a 1:15:55 but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough to take the win.

Smoking hot run: Jame Cunnama (left) had the fastest run split of 1:11:07 but had to settle for third, while Brad Kahlefeldt came home in fourth.

Ironman 70.3 busselton, WA

Pro men 1.

APPLETON, Sam

AUS

Swim

Bike

Run

Finish

00:24:30

02:02:43

01:14:36

03:44:28

2. BOZZONE, Terenzo

NZL

00:24:33

02:02:38

01:15:55

03:45:38

3. CUNNAMA, James

ZAF

00:25:45

02:08:13

01:11:07

03:47:40

4. KAHLEFELDT, Brad

AUS

00:24:34

02:08:48

01:16:26

03:52:22

5. WHITE, Matty

AUS

00:25:48

02:08:21

01:18:27

03:55:09

6. REITHMEIER, Alex

AUS

00:25:47

02:10:42

01:15:52

03:55:15

7.

CRAWFORD, Guy

NZL

00:24:25

02:08:51

01:20:03

03:55:58

8. MAINWARING, David

AUS

00:26:36

02:12:19

01:17:00

03:58:46

9. RIX, Joshua

AUS

00:25:43

02:08:59

01:22:41

04:00:22

10. CLAYTON, Giles

AUS

00:24:32

02:16:15

01:17:48

04:01:19

88

| Australian Triathlete

Big Win: Appleton was elated with his win.

/// ironman 70.3 busselton Race Details: Location: busselton, WA Distance: 1.9km/90km/21.1km Date: 2nd may 2015

All SMiles: Liz Blatchford had a great day but couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t match with Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (far right). Katey Gibb (above left and below) was third place finisher.

Big Future: Katey Gibb is a first year pro and one to watch.

Ironman 70.3 busselton, WA

Pro Women 1.

AUS

Swim

Bike

Run

Finish

00:26:32

02:25:37

01:21:10

04:16:18

2. Liz Blatchford

AUS

00:26:14

02:25:18

01:23:33

04:18:40

3. Katey Gibb

AUS

00:28:48

02:26:31

01:20:52

04:19:18

4. Kate Bevilaqua

AUS

00:28:28

02:26:56

01:26:13

04:24:38

5. Kate Pedley

AUS

00:31:17

02:31:00

01:21:54

04:27:14

6. Katy Duffield

AUS

00:31:12

02:26:03

01:26:42

04:27:14

Anna Russell

NZ

00:28:50

02:26:20

01:29:30

04:27:53

8. Michelle Duffield

AUS

00:31:12

02:31:18

01:23:29

04:29:10

9. Renee Baker

AUS

00:28:50

02:26:28

01:32:11

04:30:49

10. Polly Mosely

GBR

00:28:37

02:33:47

01:28:49

04:34:33

7.

Speedy Sheedy: Felicity Sheedy-Ryan was too strong all day and took an impressive victory.

Felicity Sheedy-Ryan

Australian Triathlete |

89

/// races

2015 ITU World Triathlon Series Whip Around

The ITU WTS season is in full swing and we check out all the latest news and results from three big rounds - Auckland, Gold Coast and Cape Town. text by AT | p h o t o g r a p h y b y d e l l y Ca r r

ROUND TWO - Auckland

Gwen Jorgensen finally nails it in Auckland

A

fter three failed attempts on this course, Gwen Jorgensen finally took top honors at WTS Auckland. The win gave the American her 10th career WTS win, and her sixth straight win.

Jorgensen showed off her ever-improving swim and bike legs, managing to come out of the water with less than a minute deficit to the leaders, which included Lucy Hall and Sarah True.

Hall and True rode solo in front for the first couple of laps on the bike until they were caught by the chase group making the front pack now 21-strong.

It wasn’t long however until the pace became too fierce for some and the pack split in half with just 11 women maintaining the front group.

This included big names Jorgensen, True, Lisa Norden and Kiwi Andrea Hewitt.

“I really wanted to be with the leaders in T2 so I am really happy that I was able to do that. I

90

| Australian Triathlete

Finally a Kiwi breakthrough: Gwen Jorgensen was elated with her victory - her 10th career WTS title and first in NZ.

was able to execute with my run today but my main goal is to keep with the front pack during the bike,” said Jorgensen.

On the run course the top three was decided early with Jorgensen, fellow American Katie Zaferes and Hewitt making a break that would hold strong for the rest of the run. Jorgensen was impressive crossing the line over a minute and a half clear of second place Zaferes. Hewitt held strong for third.

How the Aussies fared: Emma Moffatt lead the Australian team with a 6th place finish, while Charlotte McShane finished 13th and Ashleigh Gentle 22nd. Natalie van Coevorden had a great return to racing after battling injury for some time to take home 25th.

Brownlee Dominates in Auckland After a not so great start to his 2015 WTS season in Abu Dhabi, Jonathan Brownlee bounced back in style in Auckland, dominating the day despite less than perfect conditions. Brownlee accounted for reigning champion Javier Gomez, who had to settle for second this year, while Frenchman Pierre Le Corre earned a bronze.

“It was great to win today, the first World Series event that I have won in a while. In Abu Dhabi I made a lot of mistakes and I have been beating myself up about it over the last three weeks and training hard because I did not want to do it again,” said Brownlee.

/// races

ITU WTS Auckland R2

WOMen’s Results 1.

fast men: Jonny Brownlee bounced back after a disappointing race in round one in Abu Dhabi to take line honours.

“I felt good, I really enjoyed it today and I am pleased to win.”

Super swimmer Richard Varga led the pack out of the water and the 15-man group remained unchanged out front for the entirety of the bike leg. Despite a strong chase pack including the round one winner Mario Mola and Kiwi Ryan Sissons, they were unable to bridge the gap to the leaders and headed into T2 30 seconds down.

Once on two legs, Brownlee hit another gear and was unstoppable - even world champion Gomez could not match it with Brownlee’s incredible speed. Gomez was able to break away from Le Corre in the final stages to seal the silver medal.

“Jonathan was just really strong today. I have been going through a pretty tough time lately, I got sick right before Abu Dhabi and between that race and today, I was taking a strain too. So, I am really happy with second place. Obviously I would have loved to win but I performed the best I could,” said Gomez.

How the Aussies fared: Ryan Bailie had a great day out earning himself a top five finish.

Dan Wilson placed 18th and Brendan Sexton came over the line in 23rd place. Rising star Jacob Birtwhistle made his WTS debut with 38th and Cameron Good finished 43rd. Unfortunately Aaron Royle recorded a DNF.

USA

2:09:04

2. Katie Zaferes

Gwen Jorgensen

USA

2:10:42

3. Andrea Hewitt

NZL

2:10:58

4. Vendula Frintova

CZE

2:11:23

5. Lisa Perterer

AUT

2:11:40

6. Emma Moffatt

AUS

2:11:43

7.

JPN

2:12:02

Yuka Sato

8. Sarah True

USA

2:12:22

9. Sarah-Anne Brault

CAN

2:12:35

10. Simone Ackermann

NZL

2:12:57

Jonathan Brownlee

GBR

1:55:26

2. Javier Gomez Noya

ESP

1:55:41

Men’s Results 1.

3. Pierre Le Corre

FRA

1:55:52

4. Fernando Alarza

ESP

1:56:48

5. Ryan Bailie

AUS

1:56:53

6. Henri Schoeman

RSA

1:57:03

7.

Richard Varga

SVK

1:57:07

8. Crisanto Grajales

MEX

1:57:17

9. Ben Kanute

USA

1:57:20

10. Tony Dodds

NZL

1:57:39

ROUND THREE - Gold Coast

Jorgensen makes it eight straight on the GC

G

wen Jorgensen was simply stunning, running away with victory in what was as close to a perfect race as we’ve seen from the American. Team USA went one, two, and three on the podium.

Jorgensen’s win also seals her place in history with the longest consecutive winning streak by any woman in the series since its inception.

Out of the water, the likely suspects were all there including Lucy Hall, Flora Duffy, Katie Zaferes, Jessica Learmonth, Sarah True as well as Jorgensen who was able to stick with the leaders as they headed out for the bike leg. The technical course on the Gold Coast tests the best athletes even in the picture perfect conditions seen on race

day. Aussie Natalie van Coevorden was an early causality after receiving a heavy blow in the swim.

Jorgensen held her own while on two wheels and worked hard with the leaders to drive the pace.

With Jorgensen coming off the bike in the front pack, it was more or less game over for the rest of the field. In the last seven races, no one has been able to compete with the run performance put on by Jorgensen and this race was no different.

Despite serving a 15 second penalty, Jorgensen was unstoppable, crossing the line over a minute ahead of second placed finisher True, while Zaferes rounded out podium giving Team USA the clean sweep.

Cool as a cucumber: That is Jorgensen ahead of round three on the Gold Coast.

Australian Triathlete |

91

/// RAces

go hard or go home: A hard fought back-to-back win for Brownlee over Spaniard Mario Mola.

A day where the triathlon world paid homage to one of the sports greats Jackie Fairweather.

Bib and bike rack position number one was set aside in honor of the late champion who passed away in 2014.

ITU WTS Gold Coast R3

WOMen’s Results 1.

How the Aussies fared: A strong contingent of Aussies lined up for the big race but unfortunately it wasn’t a dream race for our five woman team. Emma Moffatt was the top finisher with 12th, Ashleigh Gentle finished 15th and Erin Densham made her return to the WTS with an 18th. Charlotte McShane had a tough day with 31st and as mentioned above van Coevorden recorded a DNF.

Brownlee Goes Back to Back Like Jorgensen, Jonathan Brownlee was in a league of his own on the Gold Coast, earning himself back to back WTS wins for 2015 and his tenth career WTS crown.

The aggressive racer, like his brother Alistair, only knows one way to race and that’s hard and fast from the front. Brownlee pushed the pace and demanded support on the bike from the rest of the lead group which included Richard Varga and Russian brothers Igor and Dmitry Polyanskiy.

92

| Australian Triathlete

In doing so, they managed to hold off a huge chase pack, which was led by Javier Gomez, Mario Mola and Richard Murray.

Out on to the run, Brownlee was clear in front but he had the Spanish contingent of Gomez, Mola and Vincente Hernandez coming for him. In the end, the class and run strength of Brownlee was far too strong and he crossed the line 18 seconds clear of Mola who finished just ten seconds ahead of training partner Gomez.

How the Aussies fared: Of course being a ‘home’ race, there was a strong Australian contingent in the race. Our best performer was Ryan Bailie who finished 9th and veteran racer Courtney Atkinson showed qualifying for Rio may not be so far for the realms of possibility, placing an impressive 10th. Dan Wilson finished 14th and Cameron Good was 21st. Brendan Sexton was 32nd and Declan Wilson 35th. Jesse Featonby had a rough WTS debut with a 19th but no doubt a big learning experience.

Gwen Jorgensen

USA

1:56:59

2. Sarah True

USA

1:58:17

3. Katie Zaferes

USA

1:58:35

4. Andrea Hewitt

NZL

1:59:00

5. Flora Duffy

BER

1:59:05

6. Rachel Klamer

NED

1:59:20

7.

Aileen Reid

8. Lindsey Jerdonek

IRL

1:59:36

USA

1:59:54

9. Pamella Oliveira

BRA

2:00:03

10. Maaike Caelers

NED

2:00:04

GBR

1:46:53

Men’s Results 1.

Jonathan Brownlee

2. Mario Mola

ESP

1:47:11

3. Javier Gomez Noya

ESP

1:47:21

4. Vicente Hernandez

ESP

1:47:26

5. Richard Murray

RSA

1:47:45

6. Pierre Le Corre

FRA

1:47:55

ESP

1:48:18

7.

Fernando Alarza

8. Joao Pereira

POR

1:48:19

9. Ryan Bailie

AUS

1:48:23

10. Courtney Atkinson

AUS

1:48:30

/// RAces

ROUND Four - Cape Town

Team GB Bounce Back in Style

G

Women’s race

reat Britain’s Vicky Holland pulled off one of the most impressive injury comebacks in Cape Town. After battling with injury on and off for the last two years, Holland took out her first ever WTS win ahead of 2012 Olympic gold medallist Nicola Spirig and the in-form Katie Zaferes.

Zafares was first out of the water, which like the men’s event was shortened to a 750m course due to water temperatures. Out onto the bike Zaferes continued to work hard to pull away from the pack and was joined up front by Flora Duffy, Pamela Oliveira and Helen Jenkins. But they were soon swallowed up by a big pack of 25 or so athletes and the group entered T2 together, lead by Spirig.

While Spirig motored ahead early in the run, Holland put her foot down to catch the group in front which included Under-23 World Champion Sophia Saller of Germany.

Holland seemed to find an extra gear and was able to hold on for the win - her first ever win or podium in the WTS. “This day was an experiment to see how fit I was. We thought I would be quite good for a 5km, and a 10km might be a stretch, but I felt really great. I knew there was not many of us there in the end so I thought I was going to have to dig and I turned around and I was the only one left, so it just seemed to play off in the day for me.”

The second place for Zaferes puts her in the number one position on the Columbia Threadneedle rankings ahead of Gwen Jorgensen who sat out the race in Cape Town.

How the Aussies fared: Erin Densham was the sole Australian woman to start at Cape Town. Just her second WTS race of the year, the veteran racer placed 21st.

DéjÀ Vu: If it’s not one Brownlee, its the other. Richard Murray and Javier Gomez can’t hold off the pace of Alistair Brownlee.

Men’s race Alistair Brownlee made his long-awaited return to WTS racing in Cape Town, and it was straight back to the top of the dais. The race also sealed an 18th WTS title for Brownlee, making him the most successful athlete in the history of the WTS. Due to water temperatures, the swim was reduced to just 750m, which gave no one a real opportunity to break away in the water. This would continue for the reasonably flat and non-technical bike course, and as a result a pack of around 60 athletes entered T2.

With Brownlee not having raced all year, the champion athlete found he was positioned in the middle of transition, a place he is very much unaccustomed to being. Not letting the pack swallow him up, Brownlee hit the front pack, which included arch nemesis Javier Gomez and superstar runner Richard Murray of South Africa.

Despite tripping and falling early in the run leg, Brownlee quickly managed to regain his position in the front group and with 1.5km to go, found another gear leaving Gomez in his wake. He crossed the line in 1:39:19, five seconds ahead of Gomez who leads the Columbia Threadneedle rankings, while Frenchman Vincent Luis rounded out the podium four seconds behind Gomez.

Murray faded to fourth and now finds himself in fifth on the overall rankings after four rounds on the WTS in 2015.

ITU WTS

ITU WTS

Cape Town R4

Cape Town R4

WOMen’s Results 1.

Men’s Results 1:49:51

1.

USA

1:49:52

2. Javier Gomez Noya

ESP

1:39:24

SUI

1:49:56

3. Vincent Luis

FRA

1:39:28 1:39:39

Vicky Holland

GBR

2. Katie Zaferes 3. Nicola Spirig

Alistair Brownlee

GBR

1:39:19

4. Sophia Saller

GER

1:50:07

4. Richard Murray

RSA

5. Rebecca Robisch

GER

1:50:09

5. Fernando Alarza

ESP

1:39:51

6.

Kirsten Kasper

USA

1:50:10

6. Sven Riederer

SUI

1:40:00

7.

Helen Jenkins

GBR

1:50:16

7.

GBR

1:50:21

8. Mario Mola

8. Anne Haug

Pierre Le Corre

FRA

1:40:07

ESP

1:40:16

9. Chelsea Burns

USA

1:50:24

9. Crisanto Grajales

MEX

1:40:30

10. Emma Pallant

GBR

1:50:34

10. Joao Pereira

POR

1:40:32

Katie Zaferes

USA

2905pt

1.

ESP

2707pt

2. Gwen Jorgensen

USA

2400pt

2. Mario Mola

ESP

2273pt

3. Sarah True

USA

1947pt

3. Fernando Alarza

ESP

2221pt

Wts Rankings 1. podium debutant: An ecstatic Vicky Holland took out her first ever WTS podium, and the win much less.

How the Aussies fared: Just two Aussie men made the trip to South Africa. Our very own Brendan Sexton was our highest placed finishing in 15th, while Dan Wilson crossed the line in 22nd.

Wts Rankings Javier Gomez Noya

Australian Triathlete |

93

iPad is a registered trade mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

S U B S C RIB E

+

to Australian Triathlete

AND

WIN!

✃

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

❏ to me ❏ as a gift

For 1 year (9 issues) – $77.50 For 2 years (18 issues) – $150 New Zealand for 1 year (9 issues) – $122 AUD New Zealand for 2 years (18 issues) – $240 AUD Overseas for 1 year (9 issues) – $168 AUD Overseas for 2 years (18 issues) – $330 AUD

e Frep Ap 9 d Value

at

$44

.9

With the launch of Australian Triathlete Magazine iPad app, you can now get the latest information on all things swim, bike and run, direct to your fingertips.

Simply subscribe to the magazine and receive access to our iPad version FREE! You can find the iPad app by searching for Australian Triathlete Magazine in the App store.

*All subscriptions received prior to 18th June 2015 will go into the draw to win a Vorgee® Extreme Competition Goggles. Prize will be drawn on 6th June 2015. The lucky winner will be notified by phone and have their name published in Volume 22.7

Please send a subscription:

t

AND ge

❏ to me ❏ as a gift Yes, please send me Australian

Triathlete: The Pink Edition Issue 8 for $8.05 (inc GST) including postage and handling

My Details: Name..................................................................................................................................................

Address.................................................................................................................................................

SUBSCRIBE

Pink Edition No 8 If you want the latest issue of the Pink Edition delivered to your door, fill out your details and tick the Pink Box.

Only $8.05

($8.95) on shelf

SAVE 10% OFF THE COVER PRICE!

.......................................................................................................................................................

State.........................

Phone

Postcode.............................

(BH).........................................................................................................................................

Email...................................................................................................................................................

Gift Recipient Details: Name..................................................................................................................................................

Address................................................................................................................................................. .........................................................................................................................................................

State.........................

Phone

Postcode.............................

(BH).........................................................................................................................................

What’s Next IN AustraLIAN Triathlete

issue

22.7 on sale 15 juLY 2015

Yes, I would like a gift certificate emailed to me to give to the gift recipient iRONMAN & 70.3 Cairns

I have enclosed a:

We wrap up all the action from

Cheque

Money Order

Tropical North Queensland.

OR please charge my: Mastercard

Visa

Tech Talk Get your techy fix with product reviews, opinion pieces and Save, Spend, Splurge

Expiry Date

/

Cardholder Name................................................................................................................................

Signature............................................................................................................................................ *Unfortunately we do not accept credit card details by phone. Please make all cheques payable to: Publicity Press Pty Ltd.

Please post to: Australian Triathlete, c/o Publicity Press, PO Box 8019, Armadale VIC 3143, Australia or fax through on (03) 9804 4711 (prices quoted include GST) For enquiries call (03) 9804 4700

Dr Mitch Anderson Returns with episode two of QANDrA - make sure you send your questions in.

...And much, much more!

CHECK OUT THE AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE MAGAZINE WEBSITE AT

www.oztri.com.au

Read Australian Triathlete Magazine on any device, anytime.

Search for Australian Triathlete Magazine to download today.

with Willy Dan Wilson

Going back over it all

A

mong the stress, drama and adrenaline before a race start is, surprisingly, a moment of introspective self-reflection.

A moment of sangfroid calm before all hell is unleashed in a bout of thrashing limbs and lactic. With minutes to race start I’m in that moment now, in touch with my senses, excited and nervous, yes, but still calm and composed.

I’m thinking of what’s to come, what it means to be on the start line, and wondering if my performance will match my expectations. I’m not going to lie, I want to win – that’s the only result that will satisfy my unrelenting standards.

The start is delayed, as the dog has once again interrupted proceedings by running in front of our bikes. The dog? Yes, the dog. My dog in fact, and while we wait for mum to collar the stupid thing I think about my preparation and training. I am completely bereft of either. Why would I? I’m only eight. My competition today is my 11-yearold sister Fiona and our 10-year-old next-door neighbour Tarley. Stiff competition – no one will be pulling punches here.

We somehow had a vague idea of what a triathlon was, and decided that we’d hold our own, over the rugged terrain of the formidable Panoramic Drive course. We’d start off with a ride down the end of our cul-de-sac and back, then dump the bikes in the front yard, run a lap of our back yard (making sure to touch the back fence, no cheating allowed!), before diving into the pool and finishing off with a by-then fatigued four lap swim. The dog, beside herself with excitement, would no doubt escape mum’s clutches and fervently join us for all but the swimming portion, as the water terrified her.

Unfortunately, her DNF made her ineligible to win the canine division, even with a dearth of any four-legged competition.

My bike of choice at this stage was an old BMX given a new lease of life with a new coat

96

| Australian Triathlete

of paint from dad, and was affectionately known by all and sundry as ‘The Ripper’. I’d only recently mastered the art of dismounting The Ripper, as up until that point I’d had to rely on riding across the hill of our front driveway, and falling off in the direction of the uphill slant. It was effective and surprisingly safe, but must have bemused the neighbours to watch a young boy persistently and periodically pulling up outside his house, crashing, and then running off without pause for thought, sometimes forgetting to remove his helmet until much later. That helmet also saw some action at dinnertime when we occasionally ate at our outside table. I developed a bad habit of falling

underway, and despite my best attempts on The Ripper, I lost early time on the bike leg.

I must have been down by at least 20 seconds by the time I’d navigated my way around Panoramic Drive. However, using patented crash-dismount technique, I made up a little time heading out on to the run. At this stage I was still coming last and not looking particularly good at challenging either adversary, but then Tarley made an error traversing the bindii patch halfway down the backyard and lost valuable time picking them out of her feet.

I capitalised and moved into second, but Fiona lacked any horticultural-based hindrances and I had to settle for runner up.

“Over twenty years on, and I’m still just a little kid running triathlons although the settings and bike dismounts have changed a little.” — Dan Wilson off the back of these chairs, having gone to lean back but neglecting to remember that the outside chairs had no back. Having the indignity of mum making me eat dinner wearing a helmet soon improved my furniture-related memory, but did little to assuage my life long suspicion of chairs with no backs.

Anyway, back to the race. With the dog temporarily tethered, the race was finally

Over twenty years on, and I’m still just a little kid running triathlons, although the settings and bike dismounts have changed a little, and I’m allowed to eat dinner without a helmet. There’s been plenty of times since then when I’ve been running the last kilometre of a race, staring at an athlete just out of reach, thinking, ‘Jeez, I could really use a well placed bindii patch now.’

About Dan Biomechanically denied his dream of becoming an NBA superstar, Dan Wilson has been racing the ITU circuit for over seven years representing Australia at Junior, U/23 and Elite level. His results have ranged from winning a World Cup to finishing only with the aid of glow sticks. When not “at work” training three times a day, he incompetently plays the guitar, competently sips short blacks, and fervently studies the underground metal scene. www.danwilson.com.au / Twitter: @dan_wilson_

BUY ONLINE @ WWW.USN.COM.AU

NOTHING BEATS USN RESULTS.

PREFERRED SPORTS NUTRITION FOR ThE hOlDEN wOmEN’S cyclINg TEam VISIT WWW.USN.COM.AU FOR THE FULL RANGE OF SUPERIOR USN SUPPLEMENTS